An Island and Unfortunate Events
by phizzybus
Summary: This is an Elseworld story about a couple of thieves on the run who end up getting more then they bargained for. No Straw-hat pirates, scarce, albeit important, mentions of some lesser canon characters, apart from that just Original Character. Enjoy
1. Chapter 1: A Hiest

A lavish carriage trundles down a badly paved road. The four horses pulling it trot across the pavement with a little trouble even at their reduced speed. A bored looking chauffeur sits atop the carriage barely egging the horses on as they continue down the path. A voice, over enunciated and stern, calls out of from carriage's innards. Immediately the chauffeur sits up straight, like a boy scolded by mother superior.

"Uh, What sir?"

The voice, slightly more abrasive this time: "I said why we are going so damn slow, I paid good money for the best driver at our last town so I could get to places fast, not because I am in any sort of charitable mood."

"Well, sir you paid good money for the carriage I just happen to be the man responsible for driving it, besides these roads are rather bad, not kept-up well you see?"

"Look I don't want your excuses I just want you to speed up this infernal contraption, and smooth out the ride already."

"Sir, I can do one or the other, like I said these roads are pretty bad; any faster and you could be at a large risk of breaking a horse's leg, and I think you can appreciate that 3 horses is much slower than 4, okay"

"Look I am rather rushed right now, so I would appreciate if you sped up I will pay for any horses which may, in anyway. be damaged by these actions."

"Sir it's not about damaging the horses, well it is, but you have to realize if one gets hurt all the way out here we will be down to an incomplete team and that would make the entire journey exponentially longer. We would have to rest more often and our top speed would be reduced even if we did get to a nice road, which out here is unlikely."

"Look man, you're a chauffeur, and I am a business man its obvious here who has more going for him, and let me tell you that I did not get to my quite prominent position by playing everything safe. In order to get ahead sometimes you must gamble, so let loose your reigns and speed on my boy."

"I must advise against it-"

"And I must insist on it, go."

With a small sigh the chauffeur takes a stiff hold of the reigns and whispers under his breath.

"sorry my beauties, but the job comes first. Yah,"

With a snap of the reigns he urges the horses to travel faster and they set off, a muffled voice shouts congratulatory remarks from the carriage and thumps the inside door to signal his pleasure, but the growing noise of hoof on paving stone all but silences any meaningful communications. The chauffeur begins to ease up slightly on the reigns as the horses fall into a natural rhythm with the new speed. He lets out a small sigh. The trouble isn't over yet, but luckily he had kept the horses to a safe sped over the most difficult part and these horses seemed to fare pretty well. Of course that didn't mean a stray stone jutting out a bit too far, or a slight ditch where a stone used to reside, couldn't change all that rather quickly.

And it did.

Suddenly instead of cobblestone or rather on top of cobble stones thick roots appeared. Blinking the driver wasted the second he had of action stunned. Almost immediately the startled horses, also apparently unaware of the roots until too late, hit them and fell in a pile as the carriage was thrown violently to a stop and the driver launched through the air. All he could think was that he could have sworn those roots weren't there before. Luckily when he landed it wasn't on the hardened cobblestones as he feared but rather more of the peculiar roots that just seemed to spring up. Then he noticed something the wood roots weren't roots at all. Unlike the normal roots these wooden objects had a much more uniform nature, lacking the knots and discoloring of normal tree roots; they were also much larger than the flimsy trees dotting the road seemed to need. In a huff the business man emerged from the carriage. He was rather short and rotund. On his head he wore a polished top hat over a mat of greasy thick black hair. A small but long crooked nose perched on his face over a meticulously trimmed mustache waxed out away from his face in a massive curl. His eyes were rather beady and they scanned the surrounding area with a quick and methodical feel. Seeing the chauffeur lying on the bed of wood he quickly rushed over.

"Oh dear, boy what happened, it was going so well"

"sorry sir, these roots appeared out of nowhere, looks like the entire team is out of it. This trip just got a lot longer"

Suddenly the business man stop pay attention instead running his surprising slender fingers over the smooth wood, and he eyes widened.

"Not to worry nothing you could have done to prevent this." He said reassuringly, as his eyes began to scan the edge of the woods.

"Sir?"

"A strapping man like you doesn't miss a massive mess of roots like this do they?"

"No it was just like they appeared out of nowhere"

"Exactly" The man said straightening up and producing a small flintlock pistol out of his jacket.

"I don't follow, sir"

"Show yourself bandits."

"You think this was a trap?"

"I know it was," He said continually scanning the surroundings his pistol tracking his eye movements with a practiced precision. "Do you know about the devil fruits, son?"

Even in this strange predicament the chauffeur couldn't help but chuckle; sure he had heard of the strange devil fruits. Who hadn't? but just rumors mumbled by over imaginative kids stories twisted by people's flair for the dramatic.

The business man eyed his sternly. His chuckled sort of petered out.

"I assure you this is no laughing matter they are real and we have just come under attack by a man in possession of one"

"A man in league with the devil?"

"It's possible. Few study the strange fruits, and even less with any measure of success"

A slow clap echoes from the trees, as a man drops from off of one of the lower branches a rifle lying across his shoulder. The business man's gun immediately focuses on him. The newcomer looks rather unkempt. His hair was brown, short and mostly covered by the dark blue forage cap that sat on his head, what hair could be seen was unkempt and thick. He wore an unbuttoned dark blue shirt over a plane white shirt both of which had ample twigs and leaves taking residence on them. Along with the plain dark blue pants he was wearing this gave him a rather bland appearance. His face fit that description rather well also. However his features told a different story; his eyes where calm and collected and his smile was dripping with self assured arrogance.

"But you must remember there is a big difference between recognizing a problem and being truly prepared for it."

"Your certainly confident in your abilities, but I believe you'll find that my aim is true and your day is going to get quite less fun."

"Oh please what can you do with that gun anyway?"

The business man now had his turn to chuckle had he cocked the flintlock pistol back and aimed straight for the bandit's face. "Well if you truly are a devil user then I am sure you are familiar with the material sea stone, am I correct?"

The man's smile didn't even falter "Oh well, you are fancy aren't you, not many can afford such a rare material, but alas it would be a waste to use them on me."

"Why?" Then suddenly the business man's eyes got much larger, and he stammered and immediately began spinning around.

"Because you're not the devil fruit user."

"Because I am not the devil fruit user."

However just as he begins to turn around the gun he held was knocked out of his hand by a thin and long chunk of the same wood. Quickly, what was just a second ago a thin long chunk began to warp before the chauffeurs startled eyes as it grew in thickness and quickly wrapped itself around the business man as if it was as malleable as rubber then suddenly stiffened and the business man found his torso encased in a thick wood ring. So startling was the turn of events that the chauffeur didn't even look at the man who did it until he was almost looming over him. This made the first viewing even scarier. The man in question was large, really large perhaps close to 8 feet tall, with a long and stiff face. The man dress only amplified the size. He wore a massive heavy wool coat draped over his massive shoulders, under that he wore a nice buttoned checkered shirt, suspenders, a bow-tie, and a pair of well kept slacks. As different as his clothes were from his partner, so to was his face. Whereas his partner was unkempt emanating an aura of self-assuredness, this man was impeccably dressed down to the massive leather gloves, and his face shown none of his partner's arrogance. Instead his almost inhumanly long face wore a blank expression on his rough square jaw under his bored flat nose, the only part of his face registering anything were his brown eyes which constantly flickered around never really focusing on anything in particular. His hair was long, blond, and stringy falling down past his shoulders. To complete the outfit he had a jet black bowler perched on his head. The chauffeur though he was going to die. Instead the large man leaned down and offered him a hand.

"I am sorry about your horses I tried to giving them a softish landing as well, and about your rough fall, but alas for the plan to work sacrifices must be made." He said in a deep voice without changing expression.

"So you made this, softish landing for me"

"Yes"

"But you are robbing us?"

The man tilted his hand back and let out a barking laugh "Most certainly, or else this whole exercise would have stunk with a pointless cruelty to it, and that's something I can't abide by"

"Are you going to bind me like that man"

"Are you going to attempt to escape?"

The chauffeur gulped and said "Yeah, probably" before even thinking about it, he didn't know why he said it and immediately regretted it.

"Then yes"

"Looks painful."

"It's not," and with that the big man turned to leave.

The chauffeur went to take a step forward, "aren't you going to tie me up" only to find that his feet were currently tied together by the same wood wrapping up the businessman. He felt like he was going to fall forward but luckily took a couple hops and was able to find his footing again resting up against on of the large wooden root like things.

"So you're a devil fruit user, I thought those were just stories?"

The large man turned around placing his two fists together as if holding a sword and sheath in front of him at arm's length and made a motion to mine drawing the sword out of its scabbard. But instead as the two fists drew apart from one another a wooden dowel appeared and lengthened, traversing from one fist to the other. Once the mime was done he spun the wooden dowel through the air and it began to change until it had formed a rudimentary sword.

"I ate the Wood Wood fruit, I've become a wood man" still no expression.

"Trust me man, I knew him before he got that fruit he was always a wooden man" the other bandit interjected. "Now get over here and help me search the carriage for the goods.

"Alright,"

The other bandit was rooting around inside the carriage. "Spices, fruits, herbs, what the hell kind of shipment is this?"

"Something is certainly fruity about it," The tall bandit says catching a bunch of bananas tossed out by the first bandit

The smaller bandit's head sticks out and just stares at the taller bandit for a second.

"Always the comedian, anyway look here most of this stuff is worthless, but give this a check, okay. what's it worth?" He says handing an ornate wooden box to the taller bandit. "See if you can open it?"

"No can do this lock's seastone I can't create a key for it"

"Seastone, eh. Well then it must be valuable, I'll just try to jimmy it when we get back to town let us take it. Here see what's in this." Again tossing a small crate to the taller man who places his palm against the lock and when he removes it the lock fell apart unlocked.

"Hmm, looks like some gold and silver jewelry"

"Alright, that's good and here's the bank's money transport." The first bandit gestures the second one who sticks his torso into the carriage to get it

"You fools you realize you're going to get caught don't you" The business man shouted having finally squirmed into a sitting position.

"Oh don't be a sore loser, we'll be long gone by the time that wood brace goes away."

"yeah probably, of course if a person were to circumnavigate such a problem" he yawned opening his mouth really wide, then exhaled, the chauffeur watched in amazement as the round business man exhaled and exhaled and exhaled. He got thinner and thinner until he could easily slip out of the wooden brace. Which he did, scampering away.

"Huh, circum- what" The second bandit said sticking his head out of the carriage. "Damn it he got away, look at this. We've got a man to find". The unkempt bandit unsung his rifle from behind his back, and gripped it tightly looking around. As Samuel removed his head from the carriages and began to stretch out to his full size when the now much slimmer business man hit him with his entire body and he landed on him jumping from the top of the carriage where he was perched. Despite the man's large size, the full body impact on the man's large shoulders sent him slamming into the ground head first. Steel flashed and the second bandit could tell Samuel had been hit; how bad was yet to be determined. The now not-so-sure-about-business man followed up by jumping at the shorter bandit and smacking the rifle away as he attempted to step away and ready it. He succeeded in smacking the rifle head and the shot fired off and missed, a bullet embedding itself in a nearby tree trunk. The short bandit wasn't to be taken that easy. Quickly he closed the distance between him and his attack and brought the wooden butt right at the man's nose. Evidently he didn't expect such a drastic change in attack strategy and the wooden butt caught him on the shoulder with a sickening crack as he quickly attempted to dodge away. The second bandit followed up by swiftly containing with a sideways swipe trying to connect the midsection of the rifle with the business man's head. The gun swung grazing the top of the man hair and he responded by jabbing quickly at the bandits stomach with the small knife he now held in its hand blood flicking off it. The bandits quickly retreated from the short man's reach, bringing his rifle back close to him and began to block the punches thrown by the business man with the rifle. Suddenly Samuel shouted out having evidently gotten back on his feet. The short man was distracted for only a second but that was more than the bandit needed he swung his rifle butt in and upward arc connecting with the short man's chin and launching him off the ground and onto his back, stepping over his now downed opponent his flips the rifle around and quickly the short man finds himself bleeding out of his mouth and staring down the barrel of a rifle at a very angry man. His face was lacking that composed, calm, demeanor it had shown before, now his eyes were alright with a frenzy.

"Samuel" He shouted "Samuel are you okay, I swear if he killed you I will come to your funeral and laugh."

"Just grazed my shoulder, I should be fine I just need to bandage it up."

"Next time try not to get jumped."

"Next time don't miss."

"Don't change the subject I'm not the one bleeding here."

"Oh really check your stomach."

Sure enough a trickle of blood was running down a small cut across the second bandit's chest.

"Self –inflected."

"Oh yeah I forgot you like to keep your rifle sharpened, although it hits me right here" gesturing to his heart "that you care about my welfare"

"Shut up," He mumbled visibly relaxed now, his finger let off the trigger just a smidgeon. "Alright, keep your head down and don't move we'll be off now, try anymore of the theatrics we just witnessed and you'll find us not so easily fooled, nor so easily forgiving."

The guard simply wipes off the blood trickling down his lip and sneers at him. "You're out of bullets. You missed your one shot"

"Wrong. This is a south blue special rifle capable of semi automatic fire and carrying 6 shots in a revolving chamber. I may not be a devil fruit user, but I do have my neat tricks."

"hmm, compensating are we?"

"Yeah well he has to spend all day around a man famous for his wood, so you know…" Samuel says chuckling, the guard cracks a smile at that too.

"Thanks, Sam agreeing with the prisoner over me, just peachy,"

"No problem Fredrick." He says as wood wraps around the guard once more this time wrapping around his legs as well.

"We best be off. So listen you two the bonds will naturally loosen after a while as the wood begins to relax you'll be able to jimmy out of them then." And with that the two bandits disappeared off the path out into the open fields lining the cobbled road.


	2. Chapter 2: Leaving

The sun was going down by the time Samuel and Fredrick had reached the town the two called home. It was an average size, which made sense on account of its coastal location. In this rampant age of seafaring being a thriving city required easy water access and a well managed port, which would, much to Samuel chagrin, serve them well tonight. As they approached the outskirts of town making sure to stay away from main street and ducking into the vast and sprawling alley network. It was the sure sign of a burgeoning city, caused by a city growing fast with no clear universal oversight. However even the darkest back alleys seemed rather quite, as if something had the usually gutsy criminal underbelly on edge. Curiosity piqued Fredrick urged Samuel to more main streets skirting the town square hoping to gather more information about this all to ominous turn of events. It wasn't until he finally got a clear view of the town's main square and port it looked over that he finally knew what changed. He saw an ominous battleship moored in the port, even in the dark we could tell it was outfitted with many cannons; defiantly not pedestrian could be pirates? Of course one close look at the hull and that fancy dream was immediately dismissed, even in the dark he could see the tell tale marks: the black stripes markings near the bottom of the hull; the died wooden body, a deep emerald green or blue; even though its sales were furled Fredrick could guess that unfurled they'd carry that terrible mark a seagal holding a sideways wrench, the mark of the marines.

The marines had come to their little town, which meant Fredrick needed to leave and fast.

Fredrick nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard an old marine tune whistling out of the nearby bar. He didn't know what it was about it, but he found himself inching towards the dimly lit window across the empty square resting totally in the darkness. As he approached he began to catch more and more snippets of the song, and he began to hear more and more of the marines inside. The occasionally improvised musical breaks brought on by over intoxication, the raucous laughter, the comradery. As if compelled by some unseen force he found himself inching slowly towards lit window, yet with each step the jingle of gold in his pocket s felt heavier, like a anchor pulling him back to his senses. He was a thief, or course he also was a marine, but only a long time ago. Love the men hate the orders, that's how it'd always been. Of course that chapter of his life had disappeared like he had hoped to and it would take Gold Roger's ghost himself to bring himself to face those days again. With a low sigh he stopped his pursuit and doubled back towards the alley he had come and to a more appropriate class of people.

"Samuel, its marines."

"Damn it Fredrick, why?"

"I don't know."

"Is it about you?"

"To be so honored, I was just a lowly deserter no there here for something else, tracking a pirate, maybe?"

"Well if there not here for you then it is no biggie just lay low for a couple days wait for it to blow over"

"No."

"Why not."

"I just don't like it, we've got leave."

"You can't spend all your time running from them."

"I'm not running."

"Really?"

"Just hiding, well more like trying to ignore. Look that's part of my life I just don't like facing."

"Fine we just travel to a new city."

"Let's get off this island."

"What?"

"That guard today, the local traders are wising up sending actual guards, trained professionals, had we been slightly more unlucky."

"No."

"Why not?"

"In case you hadn't noticed were on an island."

"Oh really, in case you hadn't noticed that's all were ever on."

"So to travel off and island you need to use a boat."

"Your point?"

"You know I hate sea travel?"

"Why?"

"As a general rule I try not to surround myself with a substance that can kill me."

"You'll on a boat, stop complaining," Fredrick retorted, Samuel leaned up against an alley wall long face still hiding any really emotive expression. He stared back at Fredrick mouth in a small frown.

"You get us a boat and I'll go along with it, you've still got the log pose stored away somewhere right?"

"Never gave it up since I was a navigator, useful little things."

"Fine."

"Thanks," he said adding "think about seeing a new island wonder what other freakish things this damned world has to show for it?"

"Just get us a boat." Samuel said not hearing any of it.

Fredrick pushed the squeaky wooden door abreast, as he walked into the nearly deserted bar nestled between the beginning of the warehouses and the warf manager. The chairs and tables where numerous all placed slightly to close together, occasional splinters and peculiar stains adorned the floor (a result of the cramped space). However today the establishment usually brimming with pirates and the more adventurous seafaring merchants or adventures was, like everything else, empty. A couple big men sat at one table burly arms locked in what seemed to be an arm wrestle of attrition. A spindly man sat at one end of the bar, a luxurious red velvety coat draping down over the back of his bar stool, topped only by the giant floppy brimmed red hat he wore a veritable bouquet of feathers sticking out of the right side of the hat's large black ribbon. One pale, heavily, jeweled hand nestled a drink as red as his coat the other lazily resting on his scimitar. A long, thin, curling mustache completed the appearance sticking out a good half foot from his nose. Fredrick had remembered seeing his picture on one of the wanted posters, with a hefty bounty attached to it. A few more men dotted the place none looking particularly interesting. He took a seat next to a hunched man nursing a bottle. Calling over the bartender he asked for a drink.

"Samuel and I are trying to get a boat off this island, anyone one taking off soon?"

The bartender looked up arching an eyebrow then gritting his teeth and letting out a sigh.

"You and everyone else here."

"Marines?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"If you don't know then why are you trying to leave."

"Marines, but probably for a different reason."

"Famous marine captain rolled into town, he's got everyone spooked been heard talking to a vice admiral don't know why and most here don't care to find out."

"Vice-admiral?"

"Yep."

"That does change things, still how about those ships."

"Most have left by now, only ones are left are here in this bar, or in well enough standing to hang out around the marines in the other."

"So no luck."

"Nope sorry." the bartender replied as he turned away attending to the more lavish dressed gentleman. Fredrick turned around on his chair and leaned back on the bar facing the door, he made a move to get up but stopped just short and stared once again around the bar. At that time the hunched man sitting next to him stopped nursing his bottle and turned to him.

"You need a boat?"

"hmm" Fredrick replied half listening, to be polite he turned to view the man. His face held a dignified air to it, on his rather pointed nose sat a pair of small half moon spectacles. Neatly trimmed black hair parted to the right covered his head. He had a nicely trimmed beard black and short. Small wrinkles shown around the edges of his face as he smiled. A nondescript cane lay at his side, one hand rested on it.

"Yeah, you have one?"

"Is that surprising?"

"less surprising then you letting me on it."

"Well it seems my original companions found themselves on the wrong side of this city's new found military might and as such I am down men, and a log pose."

"I got the pose, but how big is your ship."

"Small, I try not to attract much attention."

"Well it's just me and my associate so I don't know if will be enough" Fredrick said, letting the last statement just pass by. Pushing the point was not a luxury he had available to him if he still wished to get off this island today.

"When are we leaving?"

"Is tonight good?"

"Sure," Fredrick said really regretting the lack of opportunities presented before him. So here he was agreeing to travel on a three person boat with a strange, lame, man insistent on leaving in the middle of the night. Samuel had just said get a boat, not get a boat and a legitimate sounding plan. Thanking the man Fredrick offered to pay for his drinks he thanked him and left giving him the location of the boat, and then leaving the bar limping and heading out to the docks. Fredrick stayed back sorting out the bills, paying with the recently acquired jewelry much to the bartenders chagrin, he ended up paying well above price, and finishing his drink. Once that was done he turned to leave. He was heading towards the door when suddenly it slammed open and a individual standing in the opening. He wore clean white gloves and a bright white coat trailing down to his knees. Under the coat he wore jet black vest and a set of rainbow striped dress shirt and pants. Atop his head was a fedora all but the brim was made up of vertical multicolored strips, the brim was jet black like the vest. He stepped quickly with a purpose each of the spotless white dress shoes landing exactly where he wanted it to, and gave off a bad vibe that made you think twice before making snarky comments referring to his choice of attire. He stepped up to the bar and Fredrick hung back quickly taking a seat at one of the near tables, his gut telling him he should pay attention to what this stranger was going to say. Sure enough just as he sat down his gut was vindicated, as the strange man immediately began inquiring about a limping man. The bartender gruffly replied he had no recollection of any man, evidently also feeling the bad vibes this guy was emitting. The strangely dressed new comer eyes glinted with anger, and Fredrick felt this was as good a time as any to exit, and immediately went to Samuel filling him in on the details. He was skeptical, but eventually agreed to it. They began collecting up the money they had lying around as well as some choice possessions: the log pose, bullets, a couple bottles of different boozes and the strange still unlocked box from the carriage. Hurrying down they reached the small ship that was to be their transport off this island. The strange man stood on the ship's desk leaning on his cane as the boat swayed back and forth already loosened from most of its bond. The man ushered them up the gang plank rather amiably. Fredrick was about to inform him about the strange man asking for a lame man when suddenly their host suddenly looked down the pier and grew pale.

"you kick off the gangplank, you cut the last mooring line" He shouted, Fredrick quickly followed his gaze down the pier as well and saw that he didn't need to warn him at all, in fact it seems they were acquainted already. Following the frantic screaming Samuel kicked the gangplank off and cut the mooring line. The man pulled a cord and let down the sails and the boat began to leave squinting down the pier Fredrick stared at the strange man in the multicolored coat who also saw the boat and began to ran down the pier, producing several knives from below under his coat he flung them all with a single flick of his wrist, yelling out a warning Fredrick pulled out his rifle and climbed on top of the small cabin in the back of the boat ready to answer in kind. Samuel summoned up a wall of wood which the knives dug them deeply into. To by more time for the boat to pull far enough away so that knives weren't going to be a problem Fredrick set his sights and shot a series of bullet directly at the multicolored man. Assured of a hit Fredrick relaxed, only to be cruelly surprised as the multicolored man simply turned and walked away back down the pier disappearing into the darkness unfazed by the small bullet that should have been rattling around in his shoulder. Letting out a sigh he rolled over and jumped down off the cabin's roof staring at the man with the cane who was also staring back at the darkness, knuckles white as he gripped on his cane with all his might.

Fredrick lands leaning his gun up against the cabin, and turns the man having now regained his composer.

"We need to talk, and now."

"About what per say?"

"How about who is Mr. Fashion Disaster."

"If I may," Samuel interjects "I didn't think it looked that bad."

"Not the point." Fredrick huffed

"I am sorry but I don't think that really needs to be explained."

"Doesn't really need to be explained, so I guess I'm supposed to just take people trying to kill me as an everyday occurrence."

"When you act like that it's really your only defense mechanism."

"Not helping Samuel."

"Look Fredrick all I'm saying is that we all have our luggage."

"Exactly and I'm the only reason your luggage is actually here and not rotting back on the docks" The man shouts, only to quickly hunch over "I am sorry about that forget I said that, its no biggie"

"Okay that was weird, but I must insist, if not for my own protection. Which" He adds eyeing Samuel "Seems to be holding less and less weight around here, then for my own perverse curiosity."

"Err, all I am bringing your attention to is..." Samuel states gesturing to the wooden box.

"Like anyone is going to kill for that dumb old box probably just more jewels, nice sure but easily replaceable."


	3. Chapter 3: Enter Villians

"Ugg" Blood arcs through the air as the caravan business man turned guard slams against the wall. He is beaten and bruised; patches of skin have been torn off his arms chest and cheeks. His cloths lie in shreds huge parallel sets of three parallel cuts cover his torso. A long tongue stretches down wrapping around the mans neck, two humanoid shapes one large and blockly the other much more normal looking stand in shadows.

"Duuuuuuude, like dude… wicked" The large and blocky one stumbles through saying. A small light erupts in the darkness bring the lit joint to his mouth he exhales exhaling it directly into the guards face.

"Man oh check it out his blood its making a face, here is the nose and the eyes, and the mouth" The blocky man says pointing to the indiscriminate pool of blood forming around the guards body

"Wait, something's wrong here" he states staring at the blood puddle he cocks his head to the side then straightens it lifting the lit joint up "his mustache, he's missing a mustache, hit him again the mustache is needs to be there" A high pitch cackle echoes his sentiment from above; the man grasps at the tongue noose trashing widely. The tongue swings back away from the wall and the forward slamming his entire body into the wall multiple times. His body convulses with each strike, when the slamming stops and the tongue loosens the man kneels down too weak to stand. After collapsing to the floor he bends over hacking up blood.

The normal shadow gestures.

"This man is of no use to us anymore" he snaps, voice harsh and commanding "finish the job and let's get out of here". This big man stares blankly into a corner. A smack in the gut from the normal man brings him back to his senses.

"What?"

"Finish the man off." The smaller man commands.

"Okay" with that the big man takes a couple more steps forward, and a massive clawed foot shoots out of the shadows, and with a sickening crunch connects with the hacking man tossing him heavily into the brick wall. Dust and little chunks of brick rain down as the leader of the group turns to leave. The bigger man follows him, while a far more nimble shade dances through the rafters after them. The shade in the rafters finally opens up, the voice is high pitched, a women's. Her voice is jovial and carefree, hedonistic and uncaring.

"Where to now? I'm bored with this already."

"With the marines in town we have to go about this quieter." The shorter man replies.

"Oh phooey, you are no fun, what's to stop us from paying the marines a little visit as well. They always know how to show a girl a good time, or rather I always end up having a good time." She causally remarks, tossing her hair to one side and shooting the leader an innocent look."I can't speak for them, or what's left of them." She continues.

"Or what's right" The big man slowly states with a hollow chuckle

"Shut up, now listen, here while we are in town you will listen to me, and follow my lead, we can't risk being found out by the marines not now. Let's just find that box and get back to the base. We'll check out the local watering holes for information, if we can't find anything that way then you'll get your shot" He says gesturing to the girl who drops down next to him grabbing on to his arm.

"Oh you do know how to show a girl a good time."

"Lets go."

The three leave the old warehouse entering on to the wharf. The cold ocean spray misted over onto the piers and docks. On the horizon the dark clouds showed a storm brewing. The man in the middle and obviously the leader wears a tank top and jeans. His face is angular and harsh with hard biting eyes surrounded by taunt skin. He has a blond goatee matching his spiky blond hair a bandana wraps around his forehead. To his right is the big guy, easily seven feet tall and dressed in baggy cargo pants, and a fluffy bomber jacket unzipped exposing a hairy muscular chest. His face is partially obscured by the fluffy winter cap over his head, and the long gray hair that hung down to his shoulder blades was unkempt and dirty. To the man's left was the girl having now let go of his arm she was wandering a ways away from the other two seemingly uninterested in anything in particular. Her eyes and body constantly shifting targets. She was smaller than the other two and was wearing combat boots, and kakis shorts and a tight green tank top that clung to her muscular physique. Her hair was frizzy, red and no attempt was made to control it. As the three walked along the hustle and bustle of sailors, pirates and the occasional marine told much the same story as the weather. A storm was brewing and pirates where attempting to leaves before it came, while marines were preparing to sit it out, standard operating procedure. No pirate wanted to be locked in a city by a storm with marines about, and the whispers of a vice admiral. The leader gritted his teeth, just a little longer then all of this won't matter, the plan will be done. That of course hinged on getting the damn box. "Rolf what else was stolen from the carriage?"

"How am I supposed to know?" the big man replied.

"You have the list, don't you?" The man retorted.

"Oh," The big man said smiling "I forgot."

"Janine get the damn list, and for the love of god tell me what the list says."

"Dude the list can't say anything its paper… unless. Hey Janine, best idea ever talking paper takes messages for you" Rolf interjects, Janine simply rolls her eyes with self-amusement. The leader smacks Rolf's arm.

"Shut it, Janine?"

"Let's see money mostly, figures oh wait they also took some gold and silver jewelry."

"Good, that's exactly what I wanted to hear."

"Why Leider?"

"Because I saw a man with the most atrocious outfit walking through the crowd here with a little gold necklace sticking out of his pocket."

"And you think there connected?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because even though his outfit would be rejected by the blind, I saw the sailors giving him a wide berth which means he's trouble, and if he's trouble that could mean he's involved with trouble."

"and if not?"

"Then we just help ourselves to the gold and look elsewhere."

"Alright, here's that Rolf you'll get to show off again."

Rolf just takes another toke "never forget anything again, brilliant"


	4. Chapter 4: Continued Travels

"So what is all this about, Kilford?" Fredrick stated again, for about the tenth time.

"Not you." The older man replied. He was now pacing the small boat, as well as one could given the side. Samuel had retired to the small cabin, trying to forget the constant rock of the boat, the constant splash of water. He was usually better then this but the boat was small, smaller even for him. A small oil lamp hung off the side of the cabin illuminating most of the boat Fredrick sat of the top of the cabin lock picking tools in hand box on his lap tinkering away. Every so often he would glance at the log pose, and get up to make a small course correction.

"You see that's not how I figure."

"Oh really?"

"No ,you gave us passage and for that I am grateful."

"Then leave it, please."

"No, you see now I find myself thinking maybe your partners didn't meet the marines, I'm thinking rain-boy we met got to them first. I'm thinking that's what tipped you off, that's why you were so ancy to get off the damn island."

"It was nothing like that."

"Oh really then enlighten me."

"I swear they got picked up by the marines, they were less then reputable people."

"So are we, is that how you sleep at night? Oh well they're all bad people so deaths probably a good thi-"

"I said it's not like that" the older man interjected voice rising to what sounded like a strained attempt at a level voice.

"Then what is it like? just tell me" Fredrick responded annoyed.

"Look its personal." Kilford rebutted become defensive again

"No, no here's what it is. You're in deep with someone probably well connected, you scorned him and now he's sending goons after you. You counter by lending a ship to any poor bastard desperate enough to need your help and there by surrounding yourself with disposable bodies. But don't worry about it," Fredrick responds sneering. "There all bad people, who should be punished" The last sentence dripping with hard sarcasm.

"It's not that at all, I didn't know. Well I mean I knew he was close but-"

"He, so you do know that psycho" Fredrick pushed accusingly

"It's not like that!" The man yelled.

"Then tell me what it is" Fredrick flipped easily matching Kilford loudness. " I just want to know, Kilford, are we just your unwitting body guards, sparring buddies meant to absorb your punishment"

"No, I never meant for anyone to come under attack."

"How do you figure?"

"He's never been this close before, in fact I had thought I had lost him for a while until he suddenly appeared out of nowhere."

"How long has he been chasing you?"

"Year and a half."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Personal."

"No Kilford, he attack us, not you, us and if he killed your buddies then that means my friend ,whom I care for more than my own or your sorry ass, and I are targets as well. He seems like the kind of guy not to leave witnesses."

Silence, Kilford stopped pacing and instead leaned up against the main mass rubbing his leg. Finally Kilford broke the silence, turning his head away from Fredrick out to the bleak darkness all around them, he said.

"It's not money."

"then what is it?"

"Life."

"Life?"

"Yeah,"

"How do you figure?"

"Long story," Kilford said his voice floating across the small distance between them as if he was miles off.

Fredrick calmed down, hopping off the roof he placed the box down and put his tools away leaning against the cabin wall "Well Kilford, you're in luck cause were in a fucking ocean and I got time."

"Long story" Kilford repeated words heavy with a sudden tiredness.

"Kilford you stupid bastard, I am trying to look out for you," Fredrick replied with all the bite of his voice gone, replaced by a tired strain.

"Yeah, probably… look, sorry."

"Whatever" Fredrick replied with a resigned sigh, "Well can you at least tell me about the leg"

Kilford looked down and rubbed his leg. "Oh this thing, just a trinket"

"From what?"

"years of doing what I thought was a good service, and now I'm not so sure."

Fredrick cracked a smile disappeared into the cabin and emerged a second later holding two bottles of booze tossing one to Kilford he opened his. "I know the feeling."

"Really?"

"Yeah I was a marine."

"And now you'll take any boat offered to you even by strange men with even stranger requests just to get away from them, eh? What happened?"

Now it was Fredrick's turn to look out into the murky darkness and then turn back to Kilford to reply with a small smile. "Long story".

Smiling Kilford lifted his bottle towards Fredrick who responded in turn, clinking the bottles together. "I bet it is".

"You said you saw a man in multicolored garb traveling down this way correct" Leider responded.

"Yea…ye…yes" The man replied fighting for breath in vain, partially due to one crushed hand, against Rolf's massive forearm crushing his windpipe.

"Well you have been more then cooperative, sorry about the hand but you must realize my associates are bit over-enthusiatic."

The man cringes and gasps for air as Rolf's massive grip relaxes, when Rolf's finally lets go he falls to the ground grasping his hand. Janine bends down to his level, and looks at him in the eye with false reassurance. "Now don't be like that your still breathing, aren't you?"

"Shut up, crazy bitch" He spat through gritted teeth only after saying that did he realize what he said and began to inch away from her.

"What did you say?" she said eyes cold as ice and fixed on him.

"Janine we are leaving."

"Right leader, one second," she said suddenly cheerful again. Turning back to the downed man, licking her lips. "Put out your hand."

"What? No way."

"Put out your hand," She said through a strained smile. The man complied placing his broken and warped hand out on the gravel surface grimacing.

"There's a good boy," She said smiling and licking her lips. "There now you've learned your place I am satisfied."

The man gulped and smiled slightly, evidently expecting a lot worse than a damaged ego. Then as she turned to leave she brought one booted foot rapidly down on the man's broken hand so fast he had no time to relax. With that she broke into a sheepish smile and quickly followed Leider and Rolf who had already left, leaving a man curled up in the fetal position crying behind her.

"Down that next alley, Rolf if you don't mind" Leider says indicating down the street. Rolf takes a long toke, and as he inhales seems to swell slightly as if he inhaled but never breathed out.

"Yeah, sure then lunch?"

"Yeah if we get the box, then you can have lunch."

"hmm, I can do that."

"It's why you're here."

With that Rolf turns down the alley, Leider and Janine, follow. Looking at what appears to be just an empty alleyway, and a dead end.

"Uh, Leider where is he?"

"I don't know, I'm not the one with heightened sense dipshit."

"I think I like this rat, only when trapped do they fight the hardest."

Then in a flurry of movement the alley way became really hazy, as the multicolored man drop down, and right on to the back of Rolf's neck, knocking him down with a sickening crack, quickly flicking out a pair of daggers at Leider and Janine. Both who scatter away neither dagger connecting with it's target. When the dust clears the multicolored man stands with a pair of daggers in his hands behind him lies an unconscious Rolf face down on the pavement, a small pool of blood forming. Leider straightens himself up.

"Impressive" Next to him stands Janine bowlegged. her legs tight like coiled springs holding in a massive amount of power. Her now green skin glistening with a oily glean and her throat swollen to about twice its side and her eyes glisten with a cold fury.

"Oh he is fun," she remarked.

The multicolored man lifts the front of his hat acknowledging them. "I've still got two more subjects, they be plenty of time for congratulations after that."

Leider steps forward "Oh this is rich, you are quite something."

"Let me at him Leider let me at him."Janine asked.

The multicolored man just stared back tense.

"Now listen you seem like an okay enough guy to me but business is business as a man like you must understand. Give me the box."

"No box," The multicolored man says tipping his head down covering his eyes with the brim of the hat and dropping his body into a more aggressive stance.

"Now listen sir, we are reasonable people, but you are trying my patience."

"Likewise,"

"Then give us the box and we might just let you live with half of your limbs."

"Do I get to choose them?"

"No," Leider replied smiling

"Then I'll take my chances."

"Fine I'm afraid I'll have to pry the box off you dead corpus."

"Won't find it."

"You find the one thing we are, above all, is thorough."

"I don't have your box."

"Then where did you get the necklace?"

The multicolored man stares down at his pocket and the small gold chain falling out of it.

"Oh dear was that sticking out all this time, I feel so silly."

"Where did you get it?"

"Just a bartender, the man didn't know what was good for him."

"They never do." Leider said smiling in agreement.

"Didn't tell what I wanted to know about a mark."

"bounty hunter?"

"Yeah, the kind that's paid up front."

"Assassin, you sir have class." Leider remarks slyly.

"Thank you," The multicolored man replies a wolfish smile visible from under the brim.

"Can I kill him now Leider?"

"You can try," The multicolored man retorts without emotion, a statement of fact nothing more.

"That's all I wanted to here." Janine replied her body tense, her tongue licking around her lips.

"Step off Janine." Leider demands as he thrusts a hand in front of her. Janine crosses her arms and pouts.

"Can I see that necklace there?"

"Why?"

"I too have a mark to acquire."

"You know I'll do it. If only because I'm going take it off your corpus anyway," He says grinning as he looks Leider in the eye. His eyes glinted like fire hardened steel betraying an excitement behind the stern façade. He tossed the small necklace towards Leider who catches it, and then examines it.

"Yeah it's from the shipment, has the right markings. Do you know who does this belong to?"

"Actually yes it was given by one of the men I am following."

"Your target?"

"No just an accomplice."

"Interesting, then I am happy to say I have a proposition."

"Being?"

"We should team up, both work to achieve a mutual end?"

"I work alone."

"Not anymore, you have to options work with us or step off."

"By work you mean follow?" The multicolored man says with a scowl.

"Is there any other kind?" Leider countered.

"I took down one of you what makes you think I can't take down both of you as well."

"One you had the element of surprise, which you lost. Second, oh please you didn't take Rolf down."

"What?" The multicolored man says finally braking that impossible to read smirk he wore. So something's to faze him Leider smirked, not such a superman.

"You think he smokes that stuff for hygienic qualities." And as he says that Rolf lifts himself of the ground towering over the multicolored man, his body now swelled to much more its original size standing about 10 and half feet tall and almost as wide, quickly filling the alley's space like a massive hairy wall, with stiff grey hair all over his body, massive kite like ears and a massive black nose. His arms and legs were rippling with muscles and ended in heavy, black, claws. In between his lips lies a stub of a joint, and a small patch of dried blood lies on the right side of his forehead.

"Just a gift from our employer, Rolf ate the Bear Bear Fruit model Koala the smoke just makes him a bit more to handle."

With that Rolf emits a scream and slams his giant clawed hand right through the multicolored man , the multicolored man jumps out of the way as the clawed fist makes short work of the paved floor. Glancing over his shoulder he re-adjusts his position now facing both groups Rolf, Leider, and Janine. Fixing his hat he turns to Leider.

"You need me." The multicolored man states calmly.

"Oh really?" Leider says smirking.

"I'm tracking them."

"How?"

"How else? den-den mushi" He smiles producing a small purple den-den mushi its eyes cranes in one specific direction." It always looks after its partner. I'll break it if you attack me."

"Another good reason to team up."

"Just don't get in my way." He says sticking a hand out.

"Don't worry about it." Leider replies grasping and shaking his hand.


	5. Chapter 5: The Storm

"Samuel get your ass out here there is a storm brewing" Fredrick shouted from outside on the boat as the winds and rain beat the small craft back and forth.

"Sounds like the exact reason I should be inside."

"Samuel,"

"I am coming out, coming out."

"Kilford, how's the pose?"

"Seems like we're still on course though were certainly fighting it." Kilford replied shakely. Samuel emerged from his cabin looking pale as the night.

"Sorry, but I can't man all the ship by myself; I need you to help steady the rudder." Fredrick yelled barely aught able over the howling winds.

"It's really beating down out here,"

"Just grab the mast, and don't worry about it."

Samuel rushes to oblige and wrestles the mast under his control. Fredrick wrestled with the rigging, and Kilford kept the entire boat on track with the log pose and the ship's wheel. As they venture deeper and deeper into the storm it grows more and more ferocious as waves grew higher and higher and the ship find's itself beset by harsher and harsher conditions as its viciously recoils from each shock, it's small frame absorbing almost no shock and being launched about with each crest and trough. However more importantly as the waves grew more ferocious the crew grew more and more tired, soon even banter stopped as Fredrick, Samuel, and Kilford got too tired to speak, and even if they wanted to the sea spray had all but parched their throat dry. Still they fought hard and long and seemed to be almost out of the worst of it. Of course as soon as they let any slack on the ropes or rudder the ocean swelled up again, and the men's tired bones strained against the new fury. However with each lull the energy required to fight back the subsequent swell became more and more strenuous. The decks grew more and more slick, the small craft's wood coating preventing the wood from soaking water, also just let the water form a thin foam across the top hindering movement and hindering stability. After one particular wave Kilford worn and tired from the constant strain, slipped while trying to wrestle the boat's rudder under control. Evidently in an attempt to gain a mechanical advantage over the swell he had placed his feet off to the side of the wheel and just started to attempt to fall on the wheel using his weight and momentum to fill in the gap left by his weakening arms. However on the now slick wooden boards he slipped falling limp on the deck and the wheel started spinning widely and as he was falling it clocked his chin like a stiff upper cut the wooden wheel connected throwing him back. The blood mixed with the ocean spray but was so underwhelmed it faded into nothingness. Samuel noticed him first.

"Fredrick, get the mast." He screamed his voice rough and scratchy as if sandpaper had been rubbing against his throat. While he screamed he ran straight for the wheel and made a grab for it throwing his weight against it, stopping the wild spin and preventing the capsize.

"What about the rigging?" Fredrick responded voice hysterical, but much against his own better judgment he was already moving over to the steady the mast, too tired to have ancillary thoughts contrary to the commands.

"I got it," He boomed over the ocean swell, planting his feet wooden spirals like stripped tree branches shot out from under his coat, and began to wrap themselves around the riggings pulling and pushing them, he placed his great hands on the wheel and wrestled it back under his control, quickly glancing over at Kilford, who began to stir.

"Damn, Fredrick he's still going" Samuel smiled his voice barely audible over the ocean spray

"What?"

"Kilford, come on get up"

Kilford stirred looking up his eyes glazed over, turning to Samuel's he smiled weakly pushing himself up only to find all his limbs were like jello. Any ounce of pressure applied to them simply caused them to shoot out or crumbled in causing his face to smack harshly back into the floor.

"Sorry, I may have overdone it guys." He said resting face first on the wooden boards.

Samuel could only manage a grunt, Fredrick couldn't even manage that.

And so they continued against the ocean's unrelenting torment until beaten and battered by the storm they began to see the seas calm down, lulls became longer and the swells shrunk before disappearing altogether. At the first calm patch, Fredrick flung the now completely out Kilford in the small bed in the cabin, which was now is disarray everything flung all around due to having been improperly tied down. He grabbed the wooden box he had been working on from the ground, making a mental note to continue his quest to crack it.

He emerged from the cabin exhausted but happy as the sun shown painfully into his eyes. It was morning and the seas were calm. Samuel stood perfectly still like some bizarre tree growing straight out of the deck, strange knots of wood shooting out of him grasping various ropes and other miscellaneous pieces, his hair blew like a patch of fine autumn leaves as the calm sea breeze ran over the ship. Fredrick leaned his back against him, and felt the calm swelling of the man's breath beating a slow rhythm out. Then it hit him; Samuel was asleep. The entire spectacle was enough to make him laugh, a good, hearty, tired, laugh as he felt his legs slip out from under him. Soon he was sitting at the feet of his friend sleeping beneath the shade of his many branches, his hands lazily draped over the wooden box. The boat rocked lazily in no particular direction as the three exhausted souls slept.

"Shit" a shrill screech blasted out of the cabin, as a still punch drunk Kilford busted out of the cabin tripping over his own feet and falling down in a heap. Thrusting is arm out in front of Fredrick's nose. It took Fredrick a second, and then he realized it. The small leather strap across Kilford's arm was empty. Their log post was gone. Sure enough all three of them quickly searched the boat and found a couple shards of glass and the pin which miraculously hadn't fallen over board. Their log post was broken.

"So how is the food?" Fredrick asked slumped sitting on top of the cabin.

"Most of it is good still in the bottom." Kilford replied leaning over the wall of boat.

"So that's what, two week?" Samuel replied leaning against the mast massaging his arms.

"Yeah."

"And the odds of us hitting land are" Fredrick says staring up at the hot sun. "Damn it with that storm I have no idea". Just last night their vision had been obscured by the ocean's angry spray, but it was even worse to know that now the sun illuminated their path they still had no idea where they were going.

"So I saw you messing with a box. Ever find out what was in it?" Kilford asked after a while.

"Oh yeah, I plum forgot about that once you woke me up. I don't know." Fredrick said moving to retrieve it, only to find once he sat down to begin to work it that the box popped open, having seemingly been jarred open by the rough weather. When he looked inside he almost screamed, a large smile crossed his face.

"What is it?"

"Yeah Fredrick, what?"

Fredrick turned to both of them gleaming and hoisted up into the air a smaller wooden box from one side of the larger one. Flipping the top off he reveals a small glass globe set in a cushion with a pin wobbling suspended by a wire. "It's an eternal post"

"To where?"

Fredrick quickly examined the post looking for the tell tale brass plaque only to find nothing. "It doesn't say," He replies his face now showing a more curious expression.

"Well that's worrying." Kilford replied.

"Who cares? Where not stranded." Fredrick interjected not wanting to diminish the happiness of this moment.

"That is true." Samuel responded.

Fredrick looked over the small wooden box one more time, before tossing it to KIlford.

"I guess set course here". He then looked through the second section of the box finding a small velvet bag, rifling through it all he could feel were roots, and leaves, spices maybe. He placed the bag back in the box, and placed the box back in the cabin.

The boat journey continued rather uneventfully for the next couple days. Until one lazy afternoon Fredrick was manning the wheel while Samuel stayed below in the cabin away from a clear view of the sea. The sun was blisteringly hot and Fredrick found himself growing tired. In order to keep himself awake he turned to Kilford attempting his new favorite past time prying about Kilford, for the brush with that assassin was still clear in his eyes.

"What are you reading?"

Kilford lounged on the small bed looking up he haphazardly answered "A book on medicine."

"So you're a man of medicine?"

"I was, long ago."

"Seems like you were a lot a long a time ago, you anything now?"

"Tired," He replied sleepily as he set the book down leaned against the mast closing his eyes. Fredrick could hardly blame him the hot sun was doing a number on him too.. However he wasn't going to give up now.

"No no no, not today Kilford we need to talk."

"Oh" Kilford grumbled back, knowing exactly what was to come.

"You know I still haven't forgotten."

"About what?"

"About the oversized leprechaun we met at the docks."

Kilford sat up at that turning to Fredrick. "Him, oh yes."

"Yes, now I need to know he want you only, right?"

"Yes, well I am pretty sure."

"Pretty sure? How can you be pretty sure? Kilford you're a pretty nice guy but damn it your really bad with specifics."

"His orders concern me alone, but Ashcroft never liked loose ends, so he'll probably wipe you out too."

"And how do you know this?"

"Simple I've met the man."

"Let me guess, a long time ago"

"Precisely, we should probably get Samuel out here so I don't have to explain this to him again" Fredrick obliged, prying Samuel out of the cabin.

"Well to understand that story you probably need to hear the beginning as well."


	6. Chapter 6: The Story

I was just a kid when a strange man came into our small town. I remember him like it was yesterday. He wore mismatched shoes and stockings under rough worn brown pants. He shirt was likewise worn and he bright red ascot stuck out under his vest like an angry robin's chest. His hands where long and slender, with each movement they danced around passing a coin between his knuckles and sometime from one palm to the other through what seemed like magic. Everything about him screamed thief and trickster even to a child like me, or it would have had I cared but I didn't care he was entertaining; which is exactly why when the strange man presented me with a magic fruit apparently from nowhere and promised me my wildest dreams I agreed hands down, who wouldn't. Of course the price was atrocious but I scrounged and stole from my mother to get the money and by the fruit when I came back with the money. He simply took it telling me that some else had given him a better deal but since he liked me so much he would keep my offer on hand and give me a couple days to scrounge up extra money. Now the spell was broken I realized he was never going to give me the fruit, and would probably skip town that night. So I beat him to the punch, following him back to his temporary residence I snuck in and stole the fruit. Then began devouring it behind the small tent, I stood there waiting for a good thirty minutes for a magical transformation and got nothing. Feeling ripped off and now extremely guilty towards my mother I went back home, to find that my mother had discovered my secret and was furious. To ashamed to say what had actually happened, I made up a story about using the money to procure myself some alcohol, which may seem more reasonable then magic fruit but did not make my mother any more forgiving. In fact I didn't feel anything until the next night when I was taking a bath in my usual almost overflowing tub and began to find it impossible to move. I was drowning in my own tub and I had no idea what was happening luckily my mother still paranoid about the last nights escapades came checking on me and hoisted me clean out of the bath. She asked me what happened, and I told her I had no idea, but that I was determined to know.

So ironically I began hanging out more downtown near the bar asking any pirate or seafarer about magical cursed fruit. Mostly I got stares, either that or wide drunken smiles. But after a while having put up taunts and abuse one usually finds when questioning drunken pirates I got a lead. It was The Legend of the Devil's Fruit, supposedly granting one immense power by taking away their ability to swim. Frustrated I swore unable to comprehend the injustice, that not only did I unknowingly ingest an apparent cursed item but I also felt none if its supposed benefits. Of course after a while I gave it rest, one too many drunk breathes in my face, one too many pushes in the mud. I was growing up and I just forgot about it all, and put this nonsense behind me. I began to read more now that the most enjoyable physical activity was out of question. I grew interested in medicine, a quite irony that I still can't fathom. So for some time I learned and learned about my profession, becoming close friends with our town's doctor. I liked to think my Mom grew proud, but unfortunately obsession had always been my vice and thinking back on it I didn't really see her much back then, not more then when I was a little trickster. She always was out at the market preparing and cooking the fish fisherman caught.

That was until I was about fifteen when I came back to my house one night having been out reading some medical books given to me by the doctor. I came home much like I always did a quick glass of water some chatting with my mother, or if she was asleep a little kiss. Only this time I couldn't here or her or find her sleeping. So confused I stumbled around until I reached the kitchen and saw my mother lying in a pool blood a large metal pot lying haphazardly next to her head it dripping with blood. Evidently she had tried to get something out of the cupboard and the pot had fell on her head knocking her out and letting her bleed out. Her skin was pale probably from lose of blood. I knew she was dead, I had seen cadaver pictures and she looked just like them. I just fell to my knees furious at it all, to think I wanted to study medicine yet here before me was my mother who died simply because I wasn't here. My studies to save people had ended up condemning her to death. If you ask why my father isn't in the picture he left when I was very young so I don't think about him. I distinctly I remember just staring at her from about three feet away, tears streaming down my face for god knows how long. Not even wanting to move closer as if in doing that I would somehow ruin the sanctity of this scene. Perhaps I felt that since I wasn't there when she needed it most, it was selfish to attempt to console her now when it didn't matter. However finally I grew up the courage to extend a hand out to her face to wipe away her hair from in front of her face. Actually it occurs to me the only reason I felt I could do that was because when she was alive it's all she ever did. I used to ask her why didn't she cut her hair she'd always reply 'well then she wouldn't be beautiful anymore' maybe Dad really liked it I don't know. I guess that was the story of my life up until then, I just didn't know.

Yet something happened when I brushed my hand across her cheek sweeping the hair from in front of her face. Her skin color returned was cold and clammy became warm and radiant again. Then she sat up like nothing had happened. I remember shooting hands over feet into her in the process splashing blood, her blood, all over my pants and shirt. I didn't think anything of it well at least not for a while, certainly didn't connect it to that strange fruit I had eaten over six years ago. I thought it was strange but a happy miracle, and was it ever happy. Still stranger was after that incident my leg began acting up, as a child I toughed it out, the little sting was nothing serious, and who cares I wasn't quite over my mother yet. After that for the next years I was the good son she needed and wanted for the first time in my life. Time was good I continued learning medicine and skills for being a doctor. We even got a dog, one Mom had always wanted. Oh yeah she also finally cut her hair, and it didn't look bad in fact I remember she kept remarking at how much better she looked. Until of course I was nineteen and playing catch with the dog, I had accidentally thrown the ball into a tree, and when I went to retrieve it realized I wasn't as young, small or light as I had been, and as I was reaching the top most branches they began to break and screech below me. Being young I didn't care, but I soon would. I finally got the ball from the top of the tree and then the branches gave out and I went plummeting down taking out branches as I feel, until I hit the ground with a loud crack. A loud crack that I didn't here because at that time, I felt something for a split second a split second that will stretch out from one end of my life to the other. At first it was extreme pain like the kind I should be feeling, then an even stronger feeling of contentment and bliss an acceptance that something great is over and that you made the most out of it, the feeling was accompanied by a picture too, the picture of me. After that I felt a little woozy like being drunk, and I knew I had to check on my mom.

She was dead, I couldn't tell from what, neither could the doctor I scoured all the books I could find looking for another answer another possibility, but it was hopeless I knew who killed her. I did, and I saved her. I was the best and worst doctor ever. I can save anyone but when the chips come down I can sacrifice them just as easily. After that I left that town with a handful of medical books and boat and traveled from town to town performing medicine where it is needed, having made a vow to never use my ability again, it just wasn't my choice to make I wanted to save them but the thought that I could kill them just as easily was even more frightening. I save a father from a bullet wound only for him to die without warning while he's kissing his daughter. Then one day I couldn't do it anymore. I just landed at a port that had been ravaged by a particularly vicious pirate attack. The remaining civilians stood over the bodies attempting to do all they could to no avail. The body where piled high and the blood flowed slowly down the street. I remember it clearly; mosquitoes hovering around children, whose feet were wet with blood as they stared longingly at the impromptu medical tents set up in the square. Then I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't just let it happen I couldn't just sit back and let people die because damn it I was a doctor, it was my duty to do all in my power to save people and that is exactly what I planned to do. If my power is greater then I must do more. So I traveled to the Grand Line traveling from city to city healing people all the time my leg pain growing more and more acute. I took precautions of course traveling with good people I knew could protect me. I wrapped myself in a cocoon of protection. If I heard the trip might even be slightly rough I didn't go. I took no chances.

On my longest stint with a marine crew on a ship commanded by a ghoulish Captain T-bone, I believe, who was never-the-less among the best men I have met, we had a very rare encounter. Our ship came across a world noble's vessel, and as such we were basically forced to offer any support we could. And they were lucky we were there. It turns out the World noble, a fat bastard if ever there was one, was violently ill. Something he ate had been poisonous and this man had just stuck it down his gob without a second thought. Needless our captain offered up his cloak as a mop but I told him that wasn't necessary and so I went in and did what I had been doing for the past couple years, I tried to help him with medicine but without knowing exactly what it was he had ingested it was impossible to give him the proper antidote, so in the end I resolved to use my power to bring him back to life and be on our way, which I tried to do, but of course the noble, his name was Saint Weatherhold, wouldn't have it.

You won't believe the first thing he did, organized a party, just so the fat bastard could continue to stuff food down his gob. It was at this party I met Ashcroft he was this man's body guard and his problem solver. You've already seen him and he looked pretty much the same and gave off pretty much the same vibes, but after a couple beers I began to forget all about him and was already enjoying the festivities, and were their ever festivities. It was like a circus with jugglers, strong men, fire eaters, sword swallowers, and much more, but most memorable was the food. There were meats of every kind and every size, fruits I had never heard off, vegetables sometimes ten times the size they should be, millions of breads and billions of sweets. So the next day we set off with the world noble to the nearest port, evidentially to restock food supplies, only things changed when we finally landed at port. The nobleman first offered me a chance to serve on his ship and be showered with gifts, I refused, then he at least asked if I wanted to tour the city with him to which Captain T-bone spoke up instead telling them I too needed to restock my supplies as well. They fussed but he wouldn't hear it and he took me into town and told me to run, so I did and have been from Ashcroft and Saint Weatherhold.

"Why? Why would the noble you saved try to kill you" Fredrick asked

"Well I can only imagine, they figure out my devil fruit power and are determined to prevent his life from being in my hands."

"But if they kill you won't they just kill him first."

"Not if" Kilford says catching his breath "they use Sea-stone first to remove my power, and then they can kill me without impunity well maybe."

"Again with the maybes."

"It might just cause all the people I saved to die as well as Weatherhold, I'm not really sure how they are back here, or its possible Ashcroft is just suppose to find me cut off my legs and arms and bring me back to Weatherhold as a piece for his mantle."

Samuel leans over from the wheel "Your right that is a long story."

Kilford turned to Samuel his eyes bleak staring directly at Samuel blank face. "uh, yeah"

"Still," Fredrick interjected, to no one in particular "Imagine, imagine the fear you live with, your life constantly in the hands of someone else, never knowing if this day, this hour, this minute, or even this second will inexplicably be your last. I don't think I could take that, it's quite a pressure"

"Next time you see a man gun downed face in the mud and in good conscience just walk away, then you can judge." Kilford replied a deep growl rising from inside his chest.

"Sorry Kilford, just thinking out loud" Fredrick responds defensively.


	7. Chapter 7: The Confrontation

After a couple more days later, the small boat continued it plucky trek across the ocean. Food was running low but due to plentiful fishing results was by no means a dire situation. Kilford sat on the side of the ship fishing poles in lazy hand, while Fredrick took the wheel. It was mid-afternoon when the island came into view. Samuel had once again taken residence in the ships small cabin, with the threat of capsizing gone, he went back to his original fear of falling overboard

"Land" Fredrick called out. Kilford and Samuel still not really listen turned to him with blank stares that often accompanied long sun exposure. "Not behind us look" He shouted thrusting a finger down the horizon where an island was quickly coming into view. It looked rather plain if very large a long sandy beach seemed to surround it, small inlets lead deeper into the island temperate looking forest. Further back strange structures seemed to peak out shyly from the treeline. Not much about them was clear except that the sun glinted off the very tops of them. Mooring the boat twenty feet from the shore, Fredrick jumped off landing in the shallow water and began the march up to the shore.

"Seems like a fall island" He remarked, the others followed.

As Kilford and Samuel were reaching the beach Fredrick had already gotten to treeline about fifty feet away and was examining it.

"What is it?" Kilford asked.

"Check this out" He responded tossing a chunk of board at the feet of them. "I swear I can remember that name but I don't know from what."

Kilford bent down and picked up the board and examined it. It was well worn as if it had weathered a lot of the elements. At the top of the rectangular piece was a hole, probably used to hang the bored up on the trees. The rest was just as easy to determine. The writing on it was big and black done with a thick brush by someone with little skill, still the message was simple enough.

_Beware:_

_This island is claimed in the name of _

_Henry "the Octopus Demon" Pelton_

_Be you Pirate or Merchant steer clear_

"Henry Pelton, now that does ring a bell" Kilford states, as he showed the board to Samuel who just shakes his head. Suddenly Kilford remembered"Oh yeah, he was an old pirate actually active for quite a long time, I remember because whenever I got the chance on marine's ships I would take a look at the bounty board. He was a rookie when Gold Roger was active, but a while ago he just disappeared off the radio his bounty wasn't something to shrug off either. A cruel man if half the stories told were true." He looks around down the beach squinting as if looking for someone in particular. "I guess this is where he ended up, suppose treading quietly would be the proper choice."

"Yeah if he is even here and that sign's not a hoax. It is out best shot at acquiring another log pose, I saw some buildings deeper in the woods." Fredrick responded. "How about we follow the river deeper inland, that way we can avoid the thickest parts of the wood."

"Good enough for me. Lead on."

A second boat rolled up on the shore of the strange island, a while later next to Fredrick, Samuel and KIlford's boat. Four figures emerged, first Janine jumping eagerly off the boat barefoot toes curling up reflexively when they hit the sand, next the lumbering Rolf toking away still wearing his furry coat and hat, after him was the multicolored man correcting his hat and gloves he stepped down with precision, after him was Leider who took in the surroundings from atop the boat before descending down the beach.

"Well this is a neat little surprise dontcha think?" Leider say with a grin.

"For you yes, for me I could care less where I found my man as long as he's there" Ashcroft replied coldly.

"Relax, this is good. We know the land like the back of our hands" Leider said throwing a hand around Ashcroft's shoulder, crossly Ashcroft brushes it off.

"I dunno Leider, have you ever really gotten to know the back of your hand" Rolf replied having only caught the end of the conversation. "I mean I thought I did but now it's like I've never seen it before in my life. WHO ARE YOU?" He screams crescendoing up to a shriek.

"Ignore him," Leider replies with a self satisfied grin.

Ashcroft bends squints looking down the beach for any sign of the people, as he reaches the tree line he spies the stream, and points to it.

"There, a stream, chances are they traveled up that in hopes of avoiding the thick forest and the possibility of getting lost" Ashcroft states as he begins to walk towards it.

"Right sure, in that case I know exactly where we need to go" Leider replies trying to take control of the situation. "There is a small village downstream that they will probably stop at we can set an ambush there. But why do you think they went in the forest?"

"Simple they saw those massive structures from the sea, and have gone to investigate."

"Why?"

"They lack a log pose and think perhaps they can acquire them from someone else"

"How do you know they lost their log pose?" Janine responds while putting her boots on. "We already told you the eternal pose for this island is in the wooden box."

"Yes, an eternal pose pointing to an unnamed island that isn't on their current path. The man I'm tracking isn't so careless, he doesn't take risks."

"Suppose the men he is traveling with convinced him otherwise" Leider stepped in.

"Unlikely, but regardless the river is the correct way, I am sure of it" Ashcroft replies without hesitation.

"Alright, then lets go, Rolf clear the way to the village."

"Sure leader" With one last quick glance at the back of his hand he growls, transforms into his lumbering self as he sets off crashing through the underbrush.

The bank of the river quickly disappeared, forcing the trio of explorers to alternate between traveling through the thick tree lines and wading along the shallow shore. Suffice to say the trek was a slow one. As they traveled through the tree line, Samuel was under constant assault from the tree's stiff bristles mostly due to his massive frame, and in the shallow water, Fredrick went ahead trudging first through the murky water, to determine where was a good step and where the shallow edge gave way to a deeper stream section, which could prove dangerous to the two devil fruit users. Still they continued on without too much excitement, until they saw that the tree line near the stream was becoming thinner, and then they noticed as they got up on the shore that not only was the tree line thinner, but that there was an honest to goodness dirt path right in front of them. Fredrick ,his pants soaking from the thighs down, suggested they take it, Samuel picking pins out of his hair, hat, and coat seconded it and Kilford obliged leaning on his cane with a grunt. The three continued the trek much happier now that they were on a crude dirt path even though it hadn't seen use in quite some time.

After a while on the path, the reached a clearing, on one end was the forest they were just emerging from on the other was a small town. It looked like it had once been nice once but like the path had fallen into disarray. Paint on the small wooden buildings was chipping off in the places it still existed. Windows were boarded up and same goes to the doors which were still there, in the cases that the doors no longer existed the doorways had a few board slapped across them for good measure. The three men approached the village and began to see more and more warning signs telling you to go back and turn around you're entering private territory under "The Henry Pelton's territory" . Kilford shifted nervously.

"You guys sure this is a good idea?"

"No" Fredrick replied casually. "but it is a plan of action."

"but not a good one?"

"Yeah that's about it."

"So why are we doing this?"

"It's the only plan we got that might yield results."

"Yeah, figures" Kilford responds as his eyes shift across the town's roof tops and windows. His hand gripped tighter on his cane as he limped forward on to the near street. The streets like the building were in disrepair, they had been paved once but most of the stones had been removed and grass now shot up in patches. They walked through the small town for a bit, it was all pretty much the same. There were buildings in disrepair and warnings scrawled on walls. They checked a couple of houses looking for anything that was left, and found that they had been ransacked and nothing of value was left in them.

After a short time of walking they found themselves in a quite large town square in much the same state as the rest of the town. On three sides were dilapidated buildings with large streets running through the middle obviously leading out of the square. On the fourth side was a small port its wooden dock looked moldy and damp, left weak from over exposure to the elements and improper maintenance. They walked into the center of the square and stared around, at the once nice facades worn over time.

"Nice town," Samuel said.

"Once." Fredrick corrected him.

"Wonder what happened?" Kilford asked adjusting the grip on his cane.

"I'd be more worried about what's going to happen to you then what already happened to some crappy town." A mocking voice echoed out from the tops of one of the buildings.

"Shit" Kilford swore as he began to run.


	8. Chapter 8: Fredrick Vs Ashcroft

"Wait Kilford we still don't know-" Fredrick began to say as Kilford dashed away, but was cut off by an over enthusiastic taunt.

"I don't think so" The voice screamed, a just like that the ground buckled beneath the three men and all across the square in strange places. The straight strips ground stretched and contracted like a massive caterpillars made of stone. Then the earth released a massive metallic rattle as the strips of ground suddenly gasped and twisted revealing metallic plating that began to whir and chatter in sinister cacophony. Suddenly without warning the metallic plated ground began to move and had quickly pulled the three men to different ends of the square at an alarming speed. Kilford got pulled to away from the pier and the other two got pulled perpendicular to it, in opposite directions. The speaker of the voice revealed himself atop one of the buildings near Samuel's new direction. He was well build tallish for a normal build, it was Leider; he placed a foot atop one of the roofs knee high walls and grinned down at the chaos below.

"I ate the whir whir fruit, and gained the ability to turn anything I touch into a moving pathway"

Fredrick swore loudly "The hell, I thought those damn things were rare or something, I am hanging out with the wrong crowd."

Leider grinned "Benefits from my employer"

Suddenly Samuel heard the distinct crunch of someone getting hit very hard, and heard Samuel's heavy body hit the floor. It didn't take him more than a second to figure out what was happening as he was quickly sped towards the streets leading out of the square and near some branching alleys. Acting fast, he began to run as fast as he could down the conveyor belt and at the last second threw himself forward belly down onto it, reasoning the one thing his attacker wouldn't expect is for him to run towards him. Sure enough as he did that a slender knife shot directly over his head as he caught a glimpse of neatly polished, black shoes. Ashcroft, quickly he rolled over un-slinging his gun from behind his back and aiming it at the alley. Unfortunately he didn't count of the conveyor belt stopping abruptly and throwing him off, as he tumbled head over heels in a cloud of dust.

Meanwhile Kilford quickly got it in his head to attempt to jam the belt by shoving his cane between the metal panels he was standing on. Instead of stopping the conveyor belt completely. It simply sent as massive shock through his entire body throwing him off it. Quickly he got his bearings and began running out of the square the same way the belt was taking him.

"Stop him Rolf!" Leider screamed, Rolf stuck his head out of the alley pinky finger cleaning out his ear and shouted in a slurred speech back

"What?" at the same time as Kilford shot past no sign of a limp as all.

"Stop him!" Leider screeched at the top of his lungs from the other side of the square.

"Stop Jim? Whose he?"

"Him you lumbering oaf, him" Leider screamed jumping up and down on the rooftop pointing at Kilford as he sped by.

"Bumbling loaf? Leader I'm pretty sure you don't need me to stop bread" he laughed.

"AAUGGHH" Leider shouted clearly incapable of coming up with a response to that, instead he stuck his finger at Janine, who currently had one muscled foot on Samuel's chest; her tongue lulling out of her mouth and twitching with excitement, and screamed. "Janine get Rolf and catch that asshole, I'll deal with this guy". With that he bounded off the top of the roof on to a balcony below and then off of the balcony. As he fell from the balcony he pressed against the side of the wall and a clinking sound followed by scratching erupted from the side of his body in contact with the wall. He began to slow down slightly as he fell, so that when he landed it was with a heavy thump not a bone cracking smack. Janine bounded off Samuel's chest with a powerful kick knocking all the breath out of him and causing him to gag violently. Quickly as Leider landed on the ground Samuel rolled and pushed himself off the ground readying himself for Leider attack.

As Fredrick rolled through the dust and dirt he did finally get a good grip on his rifle and as his body skidded to a halt amidst the dust he did end up pointing in the correct direction rifle fixed vaguely on the spot his attacker was standing. Of course he couldn't hold that concentration for long. His mind was still spinning from the dizzying slide, and as soon as his rifle dipped even the slightest Ashcroft was on him. A nicely polished shoe connected with his chin knocking him back, and luckily knocking his brain back into the proper frame. He felt his focus becoming more clear, and the regular dimensions of existence becoming more defined. He clamored to his feet wiping his bleeding lip on a dark blue sleeve.

"That wasn't smart" Fredrick growled, Ashcroft simply tipped his hat and set off. Quickly there was a flash of metal in the sun and suddenly two daggers appeared in Ashcroft's hands his heavy white cloak flapping widely as he began to run in a circle around Fredrick who in turn began to mirror him, forcing both of them to run in a giant circle. Daggers flew out at Fredrick one grazing his shoulder damaging his shirt but not much else, another shot just in front of his knee causing him drawing his attention and causing his to stumble and trip. However before Ashcroft could capitalize on the blunder, Fredrick, following instinct, didn't attempt to correct his fall instead he accepted it graciously with a knee and quickly assumed a shooting stance as he traced Ashcroft's path and fired his rife quickly twice. Both shots were off, but they at least got Ashcroft's attention as one ripped a hole through Ashcroft's coat. In return Ashcroft sped up hoping to take advantage of Fredrick's lack of maneuverability and his exposed back. Fredrick sprang up but instead of turning to face Ashcroft immediately and thereby allowing him an easy stationary target his took off running straight using his downed foot to give him a powerful boost. Ashcroft swore and skidded to a halt rather than chase after him. This gave Fredrick the opportunity he needed. Placing a hand down he kicked out his feet in front of him falling into his slide and shifting his weight one hundred and eighty degrees till he was facing Ashcroft direction a dagger flew over his now crouched body; his free hand shooting out straight at Ashcroft still grasping his rifle. He skidded backwards for a short distance then stood up.

Ashcroft pulled on one of his gloves tightening it. Then he gradually drew another dagger out of his coat.

"You are competent I will allow you that compliment."

Fredrick smiled with his arrogant grin, and replied

"Well I suppose I should respond in kind. You're not blind which was my original assumption upon viewing your outfit", he continued his smile hoping that Ashcroft was too far away to noticed his heavy breathing, the man was fast faster than he was, and from what he could tell he wasn't even winded yet.

Ashcroft continued choosing to ignore the insult "Do you even know why you're fighting?"

"You started it." Fredrick countered mockingly, as he stood up.

"On behalf of my associates." Ashcroft calmly replied indicating into the square, where two figures clashes. Fredrick turned to watch the two figures, and noticed for the first time the sound of clinking metal, mechanical whirs, and cracking wood echoes across the square. With each clash the entire square broke open in a flurry of movement and metal clanking.

"They want what's there's, and I want what's mine and as far as I'm concerned our business agreement was terminated the minute that man's his brutish friend lost my cargo."

"Kilford?" Fredrick did crack a genuine smile at the fact that Kilford escaped.

"Dr. Jennings, yes . He is in an interesting position and one that, I'm afraid, my client has a lot of interesting in controlling."

"From what he told me, client seems a lot more like master. Saint Weatherford, eh?"

Ashcroft looked surprised, but it was the same surprise you get when you hear the chef's special is something you like or when a team you tangentially follow wins a game.

"So he told you that story?"

"Yeah so what does the kiss ass handbook say you have to do? Silence me or what?" Fredrick retorted grinding his feet into the ground preparing to sprint if need be.

"Nonsense" Ashcroft continued once again choosing to ignore the insult "Although yes I will admit I am more a servant then a free-for-hire professional, but that being said I am the best paid servant in the world. As for silencing you, unnecessary, one of the benefits of world nobles is they are very much above the law, and by proxy so am I."

"Forget it, I'm no stooge" Fredrick spat.

Once again Ashcroft chooses to ignore the obvious insult and simply responded in the same casual voice that was quickly becoming annoying.

"You know how many people I've killed? Hmm"

"No, why is there a contest like world big-" Fredrick remarked sarcastically but was quickly cut off by the suddenly harsh voice and cold stare of Ashcroft.

"forty three" He stated coldly "and of those forty three how many has the government cared about? None and you know what? I can easily make it forty four, or forty five" He continued indicating to Samuel "if need be, and you know what? The government will still not care. I am above the law through my connections but just because you have never heard of me on your stupid bounty boards that people flap around like rulers measuring dick size, does not" He continued eyes narrowing a murderous glint appearing in them "mean I am not a very dangerous person."

Fredrick smiled; he was getting to him after all. "Listen mister I don't care how many defenseless women and children you murder for your fat bastard of a master. Here is how I see things, you have been hounding Kilford for what two years now, and that's a long time. I am getting to like Kilford, and you, for all intensive purposes, look like an asshole and have done nothing to persuade me otherwise, asshole. Now you're fighting someone your own size so shut the fuck up and fight me, asshole."

The icy cold glint in his eyes shone even brighter for a second as they caught a stray ray of sun.

"My own size" He chuckled his voice void of all humor and his stance loosening up. "I am afraid I'm so far out of your league you're not but a speck on my long coat."

"More like a whole" Fredrick said smirking and in a single sweep he leveled his gun and emptied the remaining cartridges into Ashcroft in quick succession. The bullets shot straight and true one through Ashcroft's throat one straight through his forehead and one straight into his eye. He knew he wouldn't bring him down; this man was too cocky for that, however he could find a weakness. He was right as soon as he leveled the gun, Ashcroft got blurry, the bright colors of his multicolored suit blended together with his dark vest and white overcoat, his skin mixed with his hat into an indiscriminate blur as if he was a mural splashed with turpentine. The bullets hit the mess; instead of punching through they mixed in with the mess becoming indistinguishable, soon Ashcroft materialized again, as clean as he was before.

"Damn it" Fredrick spat "you're a devil fruit user too"

"Yes" Ashcroft said gloating "I ate the smudge smudge fruit I am a blur man capable of blurring the lines of the world"

"Oh no what are you going to do dirty my shoes" Fredrick replied cockily buying himself more time.

"You haven't seen the half of it" Ashcroft assured him, Fredrick didn't need any. He loaded his gun or at least tried to until suddenly his surroundings began to blur; all the different colors blending together in very unappealing brownish muck, he fumbled with his bullets whose line's were now much less defined, and clumsily attempted to load the revolving barrel of his rifle. When out of the corner of his eyes he saw three smudges moving quickly at first they were simply a different shade of brown then they became outlines and finally when they were colored in three daggers shot at him. Luckily they were thrown in an arc with only one headed directly towards him, he tried to dodge throwing himself to the side only to find himself diving face first into something hard, suddenly the colors separated again as if strained and he found himself face first in the dirt. Quickly he rolled spitting more blood out of his mouth, he pointed a finger at Ashcroft.

"Ha, so you can't see through your smog either."

"Inconsequential" Ashcroft replied, as he began to run, drawing daggers from his coat and throwing a couple out. Which then quickly disappeared in a brown haze that quickly shot towards Fredrick who dived out of what he thought was the way, but as they began to materialize he realized he had make a mistake as one lone dagger materialized and cut a large gash across the top of his shoulder. He gritted and charged at Ashcroft wielding the rifle like a club. Although the force of the attack caught Ashcroft off guard and pushed him back into the square proper, his ability to blur the impact zones meant he avoided all but minimal damage and the rapid swings and swipes of his long and heavy club were rapidly draining Fredrick of his energy. He did get one lucky break as he pressed Ashcroft back into the square he also pressed him out onto the conveyer belt infested area, they seemed to whir at random intervals in tandem with the cracking of wood and the screams of Samuel and Leider. His arm's were growing heavy as he pressed forward determined to press this moment for all it was worth, and suddenly Ashcroft shouted in surprise, he had actually stepped on one of the conveyor belts as it began to move and as such he was thrown off balance and his concentration was shot, allowing Fredrick to catch him with a heavy blow to his side that connected with a satisfy crunch

"He's just as unfamiliar with this territory as I am, these two haven't fought together before, that was something he and Samuel had over them," Fredrick thought.

However soon his momentum gave way and Ashcroft came back on the offensive two daggers in hand swinging in each hand.

He started sidestepping an overly aggressive overhand swipe from Fredrick and used his inside hand to swipe the strike wide, then he used his outside swipe to jab directly at Fredrick exposed flank. Fredrick recoiled bring his rifle butt back in and swatting the wide jab too the side causing a nick in his flank and nothing more. To follow up Ashcroft immediately stabbed at Fredrick belly and he pulled his wide swipe back, in turn Fredrick rotated his gun like a baton spinning it across his chest and connecting with Ashcroft's wrist to intercept only to find Ashcroft hand a brown blur that was currently protruding into his chest. In the split second he had to analyze the scene he noted that although the dagger was undoubtedly sticking out of his chest he felt no pain probably due to the fact his chest was blurred with the weapon. So it was a doubled edged sword, interesting. Quickly to monopolize on the situation Fredrick caught the top of his spinning rifle with his free hand and jabbed out at the other hand that was quickly coming in again for another attack. He caught Ashcroft by surprise by not flinching back from the now harmless knife strike, and as such he was able to heavily connect with Ashcroft's gloved hand with a loud crunch, more surprised than hurt Ashcroft dropped his knife, and pulled his hand out of Fredrick's chest, drawing back he drew yet another dagger out of his chest and wiped his brow with a spotless sleeve now smudged with dirt and sweat. Fredrick smiled; it's all about the little victories.

"Your getting annoying, but no more." Ashcroft snarled.

Breathing heavily Fredrick grinned back, ignoring the piercing pain that was shooting into his ear from the heavily bleeding shoulder, as well as the dozens over other smaller cuts and bruises he had acquired at various parts during the battle. "Bring it."

Ashcroft smiled a gleeful smirk and he began to blur his entire body, in one quick movement he was nothing but a giant brown blur that suddenly enveloped Fredrick's front side, until all he could see was that disgusting brown much color, and he could swear he saw Ashcroft's sickening smirk in the cloud. Almost as soon as he fully registered Ashcroft's presence, two hands began to phase in, each clutching daggers and appearing from seemingly opposite sides of him. He screeched with surprise attempting to bring his gun to block at least one of the stabs, but he was spent the one dagger he actually got his rifle in front of smacked it away with a contemptible ease. A stinging pain erupted in his lower leg as a knife cut through the pants and flesh with contemptible ease, meanwhile the dagger that smashed away his rifle slashed his upper arm drawing a thin line of blood. Realizing he couldn't fight in this close quarters with his rifle, he quickly unloaded the few shots he actually was able to reload, at least scaring Ashcroft temporarily to back off. Tossing the rifle down he readied himself for the next attack, and when the flurry of the blows came he attempted to swat them away with his fist, but his sluggish reflexes and loss of blood simply meant more and more knives got through nicking him in more and more places.

Finally he was able to successfully grab Ashcraft's wrist stopping the dagger from piercing his skin once more but as soon as he had grabbed it he felt his grip slip away as the wrist grew more and more blurred. He was so tired he could scream it just wasn't fair he wanted to shout, but he couldn't all he could do was redouble his efforts and closed his eyes. However as soon as he closed his eyes suddenly he felt Ashcroft's wrist as clear as day, shocked he quickly opened his eyes and just like that the wrist slipped from his grasp as soon as he tried to see it.

The power is visual based, as long as I don't look at it; it loses its power he can't blur the sense of touch. A thought quickly began forming in Fredrick's mind, wasting the last of his draining energy he began to dodge widely ducking and weaving on pure instinct as Ashcroft swung and swiped with more and more violent swipes scoring a couple more hits and ripping Fredrick's clothes into even more shreds. Then suddenly time began to slow down ad Fredrick saw his opening, he ducked down as Ashcroft in his violent rage swung fast and hard aiming at his neck but only shot harmlessly over his head. Fredrick shot back up like a loaded spring grabbing his non blurred arm and closing his eyes tightly he threw himself at Ashcroft and sure enough found himself connecting with something heavy and solid, Ashcroft's body, as they both fell heavily on to one of the conveyor belts; he screamed at the top of his lungs eyes clamped shut.

"Samuel give the bastard one hell of a head ache" He screamed and prayed he was heard


	9. Chapter 9: Samuel Vs Leider

Leider pointed one finger at him from a fully extended arm as he straightened up from his rough landing. His finger twitched at the end as he stared straight at Samuel.

"Okay motherfucker, right now you have two things going against you."

Samuel just adjusted his stance, and stared back with a blank expression.

"One" Leider continued fuming "I am extremely pissed off right now, two you're a big guy and so is Rolf. So here's what's going to happen okay I am going to close my eyes and pretend you're him then beat the crap out of you and vent. Sound good?"

"I wouldn't do that" Samuel warned

"Really? Cause I just did" Leider said throwing himself straight at Samuel who uses his wood power to quickly wrap him up. Leider hit the ground with a heavy thud. "Asshole" he screamed "and a fucking user! "Samuel looked over him .

"I told you not too". Lieder laughed and suddenly their was a mechanical clicking and whirring noise as sawdust filled the air. Seconds later Leider stood up unhindered. "Nice trick, but you'll need more then that."

Samuel shrugged and with a quick arm gesture three wooded spikes shot up from the ground right at Leider's feet. But Leider was quick on his feet dodging two, but not that quick as the third took a good chunk out of his lower leg.

He bent down as if he was roller skating and shot off. He was fast and graceful; it was almost as if he was gliding. Of course that optical illusion was probably due to the fact he was gliding, on his feet now turned into small conveyor belts. He smashed straight into Samuel much large frame attempting to tackle him down. Samuel took the severe hit to the chest and swayed backwards but his feet stayed planted he rocked back like a punching dummy. Lieder smiled, "tough bastard aren't you".

Samuel shrugged as two spikes of wood shot out of the ground, but Leider was too fast easily jumping back avoiding both spikes. He quickly shifted momentum and slammed into Samuel again, this time jumping before hitting him so that his center of mass slammed high against Samuel's chest over-torqueing him as Samuel screened in agony and finally he fell over. Lieder continued with a hand to his Samuel's face smashing it deep into the ground after knocking him over.

"A clever trick with the roots, it's a pity you needed to root yourself to do it" Lieder laughed as he back-flipped off the body landing gracefully in behind him. Samuel grunted drawing himself to full height again and then turning and brushing himself off. Lieder smirked "You're big, but I've dropped bigger. You need more than that to survive in this business". Once again Samuel quickly move now more roots shot out of the ground, except now they are angled all around him in every direction.

"bored now, I wanted to vent but now all I feel like is sighing" Leider mocks as he launches himself up landing on one of the angled roots. In a second the bottom of his feet have once again changed into conveyor belts and he was quickly sliding down the root straight at Samuel who continues to flourish and more roots shoot straight out attempting to skewer or at least trip Leider. He dodges them with a contemptible ease once again launching himself at Samuel and smack him hard across the jaw. "Come on you must be better than this" he laughed "I'm almost disappointed at this". Samuel turns to face Lieder once more and plants his feet assuming the same stance.

"My you really are a one trick pony aren't you?" Leider says already moving straight for Samuel at high speeds. Samuel cracks a small smile. Leider jumps straight at Samuel only realizing just to late that no roots have actually shot up from the ground, instead wood begins to form out of Samuel's palm and almost instantly he is holding a rough club. Samuel sidesteps Leider uncontrolled attack and swings his club in a massive underhanded movement hoping to catch Leider off guard. However at the last moment Lieder was able to cover his chest with his forearms, quickly turning them into small conveyor belts that began to whir. The wooden club met with the conveyor belts and little wood chips began to fly as the wood was slowly ground down. However even the conveyor belt wasn't sufficient enough to grind down to much of the heavy club and Samuel smacked Leider a good six or seven feet through the air. He landed with a heavy thud on the ground; Samuel shrugged tossing the club aside. Leider got up scowl spreading quickly over his face. "Son of a bitch well I guess you did have a little bite." Then he added with unnecessary poison "Note the past tense."

"Yeah I did, clever man clever" Samuel replied, drawing his hands together and causing wood to shoot out between them forming itself into a massive spear.

"Maybe this will be good for venting after all." Leider smirked, Samuel shrugged. Both charged at each other. Dust flew as they clashed. Samuel had the reach and the size jabbing out with his massive wooden spear try to keep Leider from closing the distance. Leider for the most part had to play the defensive. He ducked, dodged or parried spear thrust after spear thrust with his forearms, now transformed into conveyer belts. With each clash Leider's forearms shaved a bit more wood then the last as the blows glanced off. Finally Samuel drew back his spear and thrust forward once more grasping the spear with both hands attempting to skewer Leider through the chest. Then Leider made his move.

He planted his feet, bringing his arms to form and x across his chest. The conveyor belts growled like hungry animals, the mechanical whirring noise rising to a fever pitch as Samuel's spear slammed straight into it and shattered. The conveyor belt ate away at his already weakened spear like a power sander simply reducing the shaft to twigs and splinters. Following it up Leider ducked down and shot up one fist running straight up his chest and into the bottom of Samuel's jaw. The final blow was bad but what was worse was at his fist ran up across Samuel's chest the conveyor belt on his fore arm scratched and ripped its own path leaving a massive friction burn across its path. Then to finish it off Leider slammed his leg straight into Samuel's knee with a heavy crunch. Samuel yelped and went down on that knee. Leider grabbed Samuel's shoulder and his other hand raised as if to punch him, but then he formed an open palm that quickly turned into a conveyor belt which slammed into Samuel's face. With his shoulder being held Samuel's couldn't recoil from the blow so the conveyor belt simply cut and ripped into his face pulling the top skin off and leaving it raw and exposed. Lieder retracted the hand seconds later and there was a small mechanical whirring as little conveyor belts appeared on the big belt that was his open palm. Samuel, aching from pain all over and open able to see out of one eye could tell that th smaller belts spun in the opposite direction as the bigger one. Leider slammed his hand back into Samuel's face this time the pain was even more unbearable. Now the opposing belts tore and ripped his face apart opening cuts all over the one side they had contacted. Samuel lashed out with his massive arms hoping to get a good shot off, but Leider had already bounded backwards out of his reach. Samuel lifted himself up getting ready to prepare for another attack, when suddenly he found himself being drawn to Leider at an alarming speed. He was standing on a conveyor belt that was quickly traveling straight at Leider. Fumbling he tried to get into a defensive stance but he was too slow as Leider slammed his fist straight into Samuel gut immediately stopping all the extra momentum the conveyor belt created.

Leider smiled straight at Samuel's wobbling form "You know I'm glad you stole that box I had forgotten how much fun this was." Suddenly Samuel straightened up. His face was burning as blood trickled down the red raw meat that was currently showing, only adding to the irritation of raw skin. His knee barely could support his massive weight and he still hadn't really gotten his bearings back, his chest was a similar story the raw skin burned only made worse by the dusty atmosphere. He felt like each particle of dust set a small fire off on his skin. To top it all off his suit was ruined. His long blank face finally showing a smidgeon of anger. And with that he quickly began creating thin wooden spikes about a foot long and chucking them directly at Leider.

Leider smile immediately stopped as he began furiously batting them away or else utterly destroying them within the jaws of his conveyor belts. Finally Samuel crossed his hands over as if two draw two swords from behind his back and flung two much larger wooden spikes each probably two and half feet long. Lieder dodged around one; heaving heavily he shouted "is that the best you got" as he contemptuously smashed the other straight into the ground with a ground shattering crack. Samuel's frown became a small smile.

"That was good, but can you do it in reverse?" Lieder face went white as Samuel slammed his two massive hands together in a clap and all the wooden shards and splinters from the wooden spikes began to tremble and finally shot straight at Lieder.

He tried to dodge but there were too many, coming from too many directions. In just seconds tens of cuts had opened up all around his skin as the shards shot past him. In the background a muffled voice shouted "Samuel give the bastard one hell of a head ache". So he did.

Drawing his hand back wood began to form around it. At first it was simply a dowel that his fist wrapped around but it quickly grew into a hard ball that encased the fist like a boxing glove. From there the front stretched out forming a massive spike on the front which he then thrust straight at Leider. Leider screamed a defiant yell and fired up his conveyor belts covering his face. They shrieked and screamed spinning at an increased rate, hoping to simply reduce this latest attack to splinters with ease. The two forces hit each other with a thunderclap as immediately the air was filled with dust and wooden splinters as the conveyor belts tore into the wood. Leider laughed at this futile attack. Samuel smiled and kept pushing, Lieder got pushed back slightly his smiling faltering as he began to grit his teeth together, Samuel was just so much bigger, so much heavier. Once he had got Leider's attention Samuel redoubled his efforts, forcing Leider to accept the challenge of strength, and Leider began to push him back. And once he was fully committed, Samuel simply swung his second hand also covered in a wooden glove directly at Leider's exposed face. Leider took the hit hard.

SPLASH.

A solitary splash echoed out of the silence followed by the heavy thud of Leider's body hitting the ground. Across the square Fredrick grasped at the sides of the bank fighting through the pain and pulling himself up out of the water. He looked back at the bubbles shooting up from the water. He looked around still disoriented by the tumbled he had taken on the conveyor belt that ended so abruptly in the river.

"Fredrick that you?"

"Yeah, Samuel?"

"Yeah, need help?"

"Nope, you?"

"Nah" Fredrick replied ignoring the shooting pain coursing through his body as he finally got the rest of legs on the bank. "I will however being laying here for a while"

"What about Kilford" Samuel replied shouting.

"Shit" Fredrick mumbled as he forced himself up onto his weak legs.


	10. Chapter 10: Kilford's Fight

Kilford ran, and ran fast. No matter how fast he ran the noises just got closer. One was the sound of light patter and lapse of noise, someone jumping over the roof tops. The other was of heavy feet and heavy thuds, something charging straight behind him. He ran for fear of what would happen if he didn't. It didn't help.

He was still running down the same large road leading away from the square when he tripped. He slammed face first in the soft dust pain ran through his face, he turned around and sat up to see what he tripped on and saw a long sticky tongue wrapped around his feet and leading up the mouth of a smiling red-haired women. Or at least he supposed she was women what with her green slimy skin and rather the large bulbous neck and large eyes she was sporting at odds with her much smaller frame. She let him go, her tongue sloppily lapping all around her mouth as it retracted back into her mouth. She smiled innocently "Now now you shouldn't try and run it only makes us work harder and" she said looking around "ends up going to the same place. Fredrick launched himself off the ground again in a mad dash, but as quickly as he had gone he was caught again. Janine landing heavily on his back with a single jump.

"I told you it ends in the same place" she replied, her voice now obviously threatening ,"Now from what I remember the annoying man told us to not kill you" she continued getting off Kilford's back. He tried to move but he knew he couldn't get far, "But we can hurt you, and who's to say we go a little far, from what I know that doesn't won't set you back to far anyway so" she said with a twinkle in her eyes "we can just start over from that". Immediately after finishing she slammed one very powerful foot right into Kilford groin causing him to scream out in pain, she finished it up with a kick to his face that sent his entire torso straight back into the ground. Blood arched through the air as it spilled out of his nose.

Then the thunderous background noise reached a cacophonous conclusion as Rolf slammed on to the scene, standing eight feet tall and almost as wide he looked hideous all thick short grey hair, bulging muscles, and massive claws and teeth. Two small black eyes peered out over a large leathery black nose and under two massive kite-like ears. He immediately scooped up Kilford wrapping one massive clawed hand easily around Kilford neck. With contemptuous ease he screamed and broke it with a massive crack. Janine shrieked happily, looking at Kilford lulling pale white head contorted in agony. "Don't mind Rolf the drugs making him over do it sometime."

Kilford head rolled back into its normal position tears streaming from his eyes. "A lover, a wife, a moth-"

CRACK his head lulled over again.

Kilford's head snapped back in what must have been a comical fashion as both Rolf and Janine laughed, Janine exclaiming how wonderful this man was. Kilford's face was glistening.

"a brother, a son, he was going to propos-"

CRACK once again his head lulled over. When it snapped back Kilford's eyes were dry and instead burned with a fiery passion, he placed both his hands on Rolf massive forearm.

CRACK "A store clerk, so many plan-"

CRACK "a gambler, left his family terrible deb-"

CRACK "a murderer on the ru-" Rolf obviously entertained by this new occurrence kept snapping Kilford's head as soon as it righted itself. Until suddenly Rolf just let go as his hand fell sagging to his side limply. Janine was mildly amused "what have we here?"

Kilford fell on his knees grasping at his neck. When he looked up he scowled; his body stinging from every possibly part all the pain of the last 6 deaths. Even his sense were muddled he tried to separate the past sensations of the victims with his current thoughts and surrounds. Fighting against it he stands up feeling the rush of adrenalin each death brought.

"You think that's my only ability? to sacrifice others for myself. No I ate the pain pain fruit and as such have control over pain; the ability to make it disappear" he lectured flicking his hand and Janine spies a small glint coming out of his wrists. They were small tubes emerging from under his skin, a strange pink fluid dripping out of them. She snorted "drugs, that all you got? Sorry but you picked the absolutely wrong person to showcase that on." She responded indicating Rolf who suddenly burst into action once again swiping out at Kilford who quickly closed his eyes.

At that moment he felt the drug coursing through his own body a much more delicate procedure guiding it to prevent interference with his own muscles. Soon he felt the calm wash over him as his pain disappeared and he quickly dodged out of Rolf's way. He cursed the man's massive size and apparently altered metabolism he should have been feeling the consequences for longer than that. He couldn't worry about that right now he was too angry; He had let six more people die under his watch. No not let, he made six more people die. Growling he lifted up his cane and swiftly turned the top drawing out a slim blade from the body. Quickly the small pink liquid bubbled up through a small tube imbedded in the center of the blade and quickly itself was coated in a fine pink liquid. He dodged Rolf clumsily slash and slammed the slim bald into Rolf unprotected flank, it left a very slim cut barely drawing blood. Still a small amount of the pink liquid found itself into the man's body, although at his size it was probably meaningless. Rolf swung around to face him again, Kilford ready himself for another swipe of the heavy claws but instead found he was terribly unprepared for the swift kick he delivered to his chest that flung him back a couple feet. He quickly pushed himself up as Rolf was bearing down on him, hoping to trick him up he stepped in closer and ducked under the claw swings then using Rolf's own moment he skewer Rolf on the blade. With a contemptuous growl Rolf caught Kilford with a claw to his side and flung him a couple feet away the heavy claws digging far into his sides. Blood began to flow out of the wounds, Kilford imagined the blow was quite serious but as of yet could not feel it. He warned himself not to overdo it just because he couldn't feel the pain didn't mean damage wasn't being done.

He then noticed Janine hanging out in the background of the fight not really getting involved. He had only just met her but even he could tell this seemed uncharacteristic for her. Rolf let out another terrible roar, and his eyes went almost completely black as he pulled the blade out of his chest. He tossed it to the side. Kilford used that time to put a plan into action.

"Hey goiter-girl what's the matter you frighten to take me on" He yelled mockingly. Her eye narrowed with murderous intent "What?"

"You scared to fight me?"

"If I was you I'd be more worried about the fight you've got right now then one's you probably won't have in the future," She said he eyes suddenly sparkling "but if it's any consolation I hope you do".

It was then he turned back to see Rolf charging straight at him eyes fixed intently on his small figure. He had gotten his attention, that couldn't be good. It also looked like Janine wasn't going to join in the fight, she must be just as afraid of Rolf's attacks as I. He attempted to jump out of the way hoping that Rolf's large form meant turning on a dime was nigh impossible. However when he went to jump he suddenly found a force preventing it, Janine had once again snagged his feet with her tongue. So instead he fell face first on the ground, and Rolf, instead of hitting him, ended up just trampling his back.

Another crack, another mother kissing her son as he leaves for an indeterminate reason, another flash of pain although out his body, another of Janine's laughs. Kilford swore, he forgot she didn't have to act directly against him, goading her was probably the wrong idea.

He pulled himself up to his feet as Rolf, noticing he was no longer in front of him, turned around to charge again. Kilford made a break for his sword but as he dived for it Janine tongue got it quicker and he landed on the ground nothing but clumps of dirt in his hands. He quickly rolled over and jumped up, facing Rolf, who smashed into him again sending him flying. He land roughly next to one of the old dilapidated building's as a chunk of the facade fell next to him. Kilford glanced over at Rolf who was getting ready to charge again. Kilford got an idea and using one of the window ledges propped himself up. Rolf charged after him, and he quickly dived through the rotten wooden boards covering the window, hitting the dusty floor with a thud and in a sprinkling of splinters. Quickly getting his bearings he immediately began scrambling backwards. Rolf hit the wall and went straight through, seemingly unaware of his surroundings with only blood lust in his eyes. The hit weakened the structural integrity of this already dilapidated building. A low rumbled echoes out through the building's walls and Kilford dived for cover hiding his small form under a sturdy table in the corner as half of the second floor collapsed on to Rolf with Kilford avoiding most of the rubble. Immediately Kilford ran out onto the rubble at straight at the dazed Rolf. Launching himself into the air he landed on Rolf's back sticking both tubes sticking out of his wrist directly into Rolf jugular vein the thick pink liquid flowed in and Rolf swung around violently trying to wrench Kilford off his back and delivering quite a few blows to Kilford's back and legs, but soon he became more and more dizzy his swings became more random until they appeared to be much more like involuntary spasms then meaningful attacks and finally fell over drool dripping from his mouth. Kilford still under the cover of the dust cloud from the collapse clamors' up the rubble pile and hides. As the dust cloud settles Janine comes to investigate, looking around she sees Rolf heavy body lying on the ground. She quickly ran over and checked to see if he was breathing, he was. She scowled looking around. "hah, stupid no way a weak ass man like he got out of this mess alive. Probably trapped yourself under a pile of rocks trying hide." She shouted to the pile.

She turned to go admiring the sword, as it gleamed in the sun "You know I think I'll keep this". It was at this point that Kilford jumped out of hiding place and right on to Janine. Of course her improved reflexes meant she was easily able to turn her body to intercept Kilford's clumsy flying attack but it did cause her to drop the sword. She squealed with excitement and quickly rolled under his weight immediately getting her powerful legs under him and launched him out into the street. Getting herself up she immediately shot her tongue out again wrapping around his neck; she pulled him back to her kicking and clawing at her tongue. When he was deposited at her feet she retracted her tongue

"Pathetic, can't even free yourself from one simple attack" She said as he kicked him in the face, and he used that as cover to roll to the side. He felt his body hit something hard, his sword. He allowed himself a small smile as he felt his hands wrap around its cold grip. Still she kept taunting him.

"You're worthless, you know that? Now scream you silly boy." She mocked at him as she began to hammer away at his chest with her powerful legs. With each powerful kick his entire body convulsed and he felt more blood bubbling up into his throat he was sure he had also just bit tongue. He felt his control going and the pain returning to his body as she attempted to utterly destroy his rib cage. Then when she hesitated for just a second on one of the downward stomps he rolled out of the way bringing the slim sword out to bare, only this time it's blade was a clean grey, it was clean metal. With a quickly slash he chops off one of her feet, and she cried out in surprise, and anger. Immediately she sent her tongue out right at his arm to grab the sword again. But he was on an adrenalin rush and he sat up swiping the tip of her tongue off as she snaked it towards him. She retracted back into her mouth screaming. And he used the opportunity to quickly get up and face her sword drawn. She looked at him teetering from missing a foot as blood dripped from her mouth.

"You bastard that hurts" she said as she threw herself at him hand bunched into a fist.

He returned her hate with a cold stare.

"Exactly" he responded as he accepted the blow across his face and drove his clean sword straight through her chest, before collapsing himself.


	11. Chapter 11: The Aftermath

Samuel and Fredrick inched down the street both feeling pain with every step. Both limped along holding canes crafted by Samuel's power. Samuel's heavy coat was pulled tight across his exposed chest, and the large collar was popped high covering most of his face. His bowler was dirty, dusty and had a small indention in it. His knee wobbled each time he attempted to put pressure on it, instead he finally decided on creating a splint running down his entire log preventing him from bending it at all. Fredrick looked no better he walked in the rags that used to be clothes, all had been cut up just as bad as he was. He was bleeding in dozens of places, and a couple major ones. A bloody hand on top of the bleeding arm clasps his shoulder where one of the most major gashes was. His other hand grasped the cane although it was more like a crutch as he put no weight what so ever on his foot.

They made their way down the street, and noticed a body lying face up another lying next to him laying face down. It was Kilford staring skyward; they hurried over.

"Kilford? Kilford?" Fredrick shouted

"Are you going to take me back to him?" he responded wishfully.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, jerk. It's me Fredrick and Samuel"

"Oh" he replied mildly surprised as if he didn't have any more energy then that, he slowly turned his head to them. "You look like shit, but thanks"

"Hey at least were walking."

"yeah, and I know seven people who can't say the same."

"I see one" Fredrick began to say then the realization dawned on him "Oh shit, you okay?"

"Yeah just need some rest, heavily drugged." He said showing them the tubes poking out of his wrists, pink fluid dripping out of it. "Come here" he said, they obliged and he immediately slammed the tubes into each of their toes.

"Auugh" Fredrick screamed "what are you-,oh I see" he said starting angry but quickly devolving into a much more mellow attitude, until finally accenting it by dropping down to the ground and sitting staring out at nothing in particular. "Hey, Samuel did you get a log pose?"

"No"

"me neither, Kilford?"

He pointed to the body next to him no lying in a small pile of blood. "Does she have one." Fredrick looked over at the body expression never changing.

"Nope."

"Then no."

"Damn, I guess we carry on."

"Well we better check the bodies again back there." Samuel interjected.

"Yeah I suppose." Fredrick responded slowly

"Now?" Samuel offered.

"Gimme five minutes." he said just sitting there.

"Speaking of bodies can you look through the rubble over there."

"Rubble? Overwhere?" Fredrick asked looking around then quickly spotted the missing front of one of the houses. "Oh, Damn Samuel would you mind?"

"No" he said getting up and slowly walking over to the rubble.

"What do you see?" Kilford asked.

"Nothing" he responded.

"No massive beast over there?"

"Just the one" Fredrick snickered "Oh come on Kilford; that was funny?" he prodded Kilford softly but he was already preoccupied.

"Really nothing?" Kilford repeated.

"Do rocks count as something?" Samuel replied dryly.

"No,"

"Then your all out of luck, I'm afraid. Why?"

Kilford didn't respond for a while until finally just saying "Oh no reason, forget about it." Then he got up fighting against the drugs and guided Fredrick over to one of the buildings..

"let's get you looked at, you too Samuel" He said.

"What about you?"

"Devil fruit, gives me an enhanced healing rate, on account of healing damaged suffered when another loses a life for me, that and I have better control over my drugs I can send them through my body with out messing with muscle movement" He smiled weakly drawing a small needle out of the cuff of his shirt and beginning to undo the lining of his collar with it.

"Your sure you fine?" Fredrick mumbled attempting to gesture at Kilford own injuries but his arm lulled at his side not moving.

Rolf felt terrible he entire body shook terribly as he clawed himself out of the rubble. His entire body hurt; he had just taken a pummeling and judging by his circumstances he could probably guess from what. Or at least he could if his mind wasn't completely occupied with screaming at him to get more of his drug. He reached slowly into his bomber jacket to find the place he kept his cigarettes only to find it empty. Sweat beads formed on his head as his mind raced around in circles looking for something that it wasn't going to find and chasing things that aren't really there.

The lack of drugs running through his body had brought a new clarity to the entire scene, both terrifying and enlightening. He could feel each ray of sun as they penetrated deep into his cornea igniting the frontal lobe of his brain with a splitting pain. He could here thundering caw of birds circling over head and feel every part of his now aching body. Every muscle stretched well beyond its capabilities, every bone not used to supporting all the weight felt limp and soggy. Still the clarity did bring two new ideas to the forefront of his brain. He needed a fix and he knew where to get one, but he had the sense to not go back empty handed. He began limping down one of the side roads out the back of the now destroyed building. He needed to get back to their boat, and possibility to more smokes, Lieder always seemed to have them around. But before he could do that he needed to pick up Lieder's log pose, never leave them around, they're too valuable he remembered the boss chastising him, no not the boss, the boss's second-in-command. So he set off to the square, as Fredrick and Samuel were walking down to Kilford. He acquired the log pose and set off through the forest back to the boats be set by pain on all sides.

Samuel limped back to Fredrick and Kilford his wooden brace clunking softly in the dust . Fredrick sat up and hollered.

"Did you find one," Fredrick hollowed still running a lazy hand against the new bandages adorning his body made from bits of his now destroyed cut.

"No, someone had been there already taken them." Samuel responded, his body in a similar state.

Kilford finally spoke up "it was probably the big guy, you know the one I buried under a pile of bricks"

"What" Fredrick responded incredulously "You mean he is still kicking after that, was is he made of metal?"

"Don't worry" Kilford responded speaking slowly with a measured precision "While I was flailing on his back I managed to grab these" he fished a small packet out of his pants and tossed them at Fredrick's feet, rolled joints slid out of the packet.

"You have the strangest time for urges, Kilford" Fredrick responded picking up the box and sliding the joints back in.

"I think their some sort of strengthen enhancing drug, where talking overhauling his entire physical abilities. Speed, stamina, strength all of it was off the charts, even tolerance to the foreign substances of my drug."

"So he is a monster?" Fredrick said staring at Samuel with a worried glance. None of them were in a position to fight anyone right now.

"Well, not with out these and from what I can guess with the amount of time he seems to have spent using these, I'll imagine his normal state without them is a wreck, his normal physical tolerances have been overexerted to the point of crippling pain and he mental state will be a shivering wreck entirely devoted on sorting out now cluttered physical stimuli and finding these things again."

"So he's addicted to them?" Fredrick cautioned a guess.

"Precisely."

"So what's to stop him coming back here and tearing us apart driven by said addiction?"

"Well he hasn't so far and Samuel says he wasn't in the building rubble-"

"So" Samuel interjected "he must already been wake and didn't already think to come here first which means he has another supply."

"Precisely."

"And so we have time." Fredrick finished as he collapsed back to the ground.


	12. Chapter 12: Henry Pelton & Friend

Rolf collapsed again. He lay face down in the ground, his erratic breathing broken up by gurgles and coughs as blood rose from chest and into his mouth. His body was in striking pain. Then it got worse. Just as he was getting enough composure to lift himself up again the cramps started. All of his body suddenly ached and arched. Pain shot straight through his muscles setting the nerves a blaze in the process. Damn she said it wasn't finished the serum, fucking temptress. He though as he lay down with a mouthful of bloody mud in his mouth. She knew he couldn't refuse such an offer, the power he felt was like nothing else, the world became so clear his eyes sharpened, his ears perked up, it was intoxicating. That is to say nothing of the strength, that was good too.

But she had warned him it lacked the proper spices and herbs to contract the drug's high, he needn't constant medication, he wanted power but instead he just gave it all to her.

And here was he going to give her all the power again. But he needed it, needed his fix then he though he'll do away with her, a bestial growl and one powerful swipe of his claws and he'd gut that bitch. He could even manage a smile at that, her sundered form lying on the marble floor grasping at her intestines as they spilled out onto the ground. Her eye's cold with fear and questions asking him "why?". It was such a great idea he had no idea why he hadn't tried it before, but this time it would be different. She would want all the power and instead he would take it from her.

Through pure determination he shoved his massive body up and collapsed even quicker. Only managing to keep standing by grabbing onto an overhanging branch. He continued his walk to the boat, to find the bag of spices they had left, and he knew they had left it he could smell it she had told him what it smelled like, he didn't tell them at the time because he was having to much fun. After getting that it was back to the headquarters in the middle of the island and to his revenge.

A loud belch echoes through the high chamber. It was a lavishly decorated room covered with antiques covered in gold and gold-leaf. One side had a massive wall lined with eternal pose's all pointing in different directions with names lovingly carved or embossed in brass plaques. Another side was covered in glass and looked out across the top of the forest, despite what seemed to be a large opening for natural light, the architecture of the room still threw most of the room especially around it's only occupant into darkness. A massive table sits in the middle of the whole display. A large man sits at one end his great face illuminated by the flickering candles. In front of him lies a feast, candies and sweets lie spread out in front of him each specific type confined to a single lavishly, if excessively designed, bowl. Behind him mounted on his massive chair are two large fans that wheeze to life every so often emitting a puff of notoriously sweet perfume. The sugary confections glistened like a thousand gems in the low light. The man belched once again; then he took a swig from a massive stein lying in one giant heavily jeweled hand the rings cutting deep into the fat fingers. The creamy brownish liquid dribbled sloppily down his massive bushy black beard mingling with the imbedded food crumbs. His beard was scraggly it looked as if once it had been impressive and luxurious, but now it was a simply a horrendous overgrowth of food, dried sticky drink that binding hair together like glue, and tangled hair. The rest of his face didn't help the man's image. His face was large covered with stretch marks of age and stress. covering short black hair that had been slicked back with so much grease leaving a slimy greasy shine over it. Next to him on a small table was a massive tri-corner hat, dark green with a golden trim, and a large heavy dark green coat also with an ornate gold trim.

The hand not containing the stein was busy punching straight through the roof of a gingerbread house, one of the many that created the little town sitting in front of him. His meaty fist smashed straight through the small structure and began to pull out the innards. A gingerbread man with long liquorish hair and large candies for eyes. Laughing he stuffed the small man into his mouth crumbs crashing against his lips like waves crashing against a cliff, the pieces that bounded off getting stuck in his beard or else falling down on to his lap and pooling on his luxurious pants also stained with wear and food. His frilled shirt and the napkin lying over it heaved up and down as he let out a massive laugh and quickly called a thin servant to his side.

"What would the Captain crave now?"

A thin butler appeared out of the shadows right at the large man's side. He crinkled his nose, against the smell of sweat, spoiling food, and the cheap perfume constantly emitted to counter act it. The smell of excess, the butler though.

He just laughed and patted the man on the back with one large hand, nearly knocking the thin man over. "Nothing, the chef's have done well today, I am pleased with that. Instead could you please retrieve her."

"Her?" the thin man stuttered, he didn't like to deal with her; she was intense.

"Yes, her." the large man responded shifting his weight to face the thin man.

"well you see..." the man replied shifting nervously as he padded the ground helplessly with one foot. "She said she was not to be disturbed for the time being".

Suddenly the man's demeanor changed as he leaned closer to the thin butler. His body no longer looked fat and slow instead it looked immovable, the difference between a pile of rocks and a fortified wall covered in bard wire. He leaned over the butler forcing him to meet his gaze by craning his neck uncomfortably high. His face split into a broad grin showing massive teeth. The man could only think of the small gingerbread man being mercilessly shredded in those massive chompers. The smile held no mirth or joy the butler could feel instead it sent a cold shock straight through his spine, but still the joy was there practically illuminating the large man's face with glee. A glee in destruction, utter annihilation, especially against the weak who were foolish enough to resist. Suddenly the crumbs decorating his beard and the stains on his clothes didn't look so comical but instead became the bones and blood of recently devoured pray, and he looked hungry still. Now the smell conjured images of a black beast's den rotten meat lining it's walls and pungent foreign flowers disorienting the would be prey..

It was his eyes, they were alien, haunting, too black to be real; inky pools with no reflection to be seen anywhere in the overly large irises. They were the eyes of something foreign and malevolent; malevolent as fuck. He though he saw something move in the beard maybe a tentacle slithering underneath the thick twisted mess. It seemed eager. The butler gulped and scurried away. Say what you will about his appearance now, constantly engorging himself without restraint; a fat sack of immovable flesh whose only signs of life were the gasses emitted regularly from the body. And the chefs and servants did say what they will, that man is still Henry Pelton, feared and renown for reason.

The butler felt he probably shouldn't be taking part in those conversations any more in the near future.

Quickly he hurried down the empty corridors of the large hall, descending down the large tower to the ground floor to retrieve the women. Not much was known about her, except she wasn't a pirate and she wasn't one of them, a normal man working for an abnormal employer. As he finally reached the bottom of the tower and emerged into the main hall he gasped as he almost ran head first into her.

"Very sorry miss."

Although she lacked an impressive frame her body posture more then made up for it. Her entire frame was always stiff and even the most inconsequential gestures, like correcting her glasses, carried a huge weight behind them like they were part of a greater purpose. It was one of the reasons he hated talking to her. It seemed like she always had something much more important to be doing then talking to you and she wasn't too polite to let you know it. Her hawkish eyes stared at him through the thin spectacles riding high on her nose.

"Oh well, miss it's just that-" the butler continued stumbling over his words as her eyes bored directly into him.

"the Captain would like to speak with you."

"Did you tell him I was busy?" she snapped, he body posture suggesting this was a redundant problem. A problem she had already solved by issuing such a command.

"He was very persuasive" The butler stuttered, "The Captain was and still is a very scary man miss."

This did pique her interest and a single eyebrow rose slightly. Immediately she turned her entire body to the stares and began to make her way to it, even if it required moving straight through the butler. He smartly choose to get out of her way. She had just reached the door the butler had just come out of when suddenly a massive blast of wind threw he hair violently to the side. A massive thud echoed down the hall and the giant oak hinges groaned as a massive weight smashed against them. The butler yelped and threw himself down to the ground, narrowly avoiding the storm of splinters and dust that erupted from the doorway.

A bloody, and determined Rolf stood in the now completely wrecked doorway. In one hand he grasped a massive brass door knocker. The women returned his maddening stare with a calm one. Both her eyebrows raised slightly.

Rolf heaved and huffed his entire chest heaving like an steam bellow. Crusted blood covered his chest and arms all leading away from a variety of dirty cuts and scrapes. He looked crazed bloodshot eyes scanned the room constantly. He tossed the brass door knocker to the side and it clanged against the wall. Lifting a hand up he pointed at the women.

"You."

"Yes?" She responded calmly producing a small jeweled bottle from a pocket. Leading off the top was a small tube and a rubber ball. Grabbing the rubber ball she squirted it's contents out on her neck. The slightly flowery aroma of perfume waifed into the hall way.

"been thinking," Rolf growled.

"Oh?" she responded bored.

"Don't like our deal."

"Which is?"

"The drugs, this control," He growled "Tired of being your pet slave. Got new ideas,"

"Oh really?" she responded her voice still bored like a person forced to listen to a salesman's pitch. "Will I like them?"

"No" Rolf glared "and that's the best part. You're going to start working for me, making me the drugs, no more hand downs. Or I paint the walls with your blood" He cracked a toothy smile at the though. "Oh and I got this" He replied like a chess master revealing his checkmate play, as he produced a small red bag. Her eyes got much wider.

"Thing's have changed, now Janine and Leider are dead, and I've got all the card's."

Her eyes flashed some surprise.

"Was it Marines?" she queried.

"No, it was the thieves who took your spices. I took care of them,", he lied "but there were definitely marines at island we went to first. Think they're looking for you, which makes my proposition all the more sweet. You really are backed into a corner." he grinned a man on his last legs. "It's my proposition or death."

She stared at him an icy glare, before crisply responding "No, I have another proposition. Everything stays the same."  
>"What?" he shouted.<p>

"Face it you freak, you were nothing without me and you still are nothing. You will not order me around and I will not listen to your raving demands. And to think you have the gall to threaten me you worthless trash. What you will do is what you always do, hand over what is mine, the bag, and turn your sorry ass and walk away." She responded her voice sharp as iron.

Rolf hesitated for a second, his mind processing these last couple moments. In all the times he had run this scenario over in his mind this was the one situation he hadn't accounted for. Then suddenly charged straight at her, standing about a foot and a half taller then her he grabbed her neck with one giant hand and slammed her into a wall. Even her glasses didn't even budge.

"Bitch, I'll kill you." he screamed as he did it.

THUD, her body hit the wall, and their was more hesitation. After a second, she simply responded. "No, no you won't".

Rolf looked confused, anger still flashed in his eyes but it was unfocused blurred together with confusion. "I won't?" The question was wavering between rhetorical and not.

"No you won't, because I made you, because I am your master, and moreover because you are weak Rolf. Always have been, that's why I choose you."

"I'm weak?" Rolf responded. This time it was obviously a question.

"Yes Rolf yes your are, but it's okay because your not a fighter just an errand boy, my errand boy. She continued belittling him. Gradually she pulled a joint out of her pocket and slid it into Rolf's slightly ajar mouth. She lit it with her other hand. "Now," she said her voice becoming more authoritarian "Put me down Rolf and give me the bag, or I will be angry."

he did so gradually and genitally. She smiled at him. "Now Rolf, you disgusting slob get out of my face, and" she replied her smile opening mocking "next time you feel like thinking. Don't, it doesn't suit you."

Rolf looked much smaller now, his body posture was much more relaxed and open. His eyes had a small glaze over them. "Yes, ma'am"

"good" she replied and quickly turned her body and disappeared up the stare case. Rolf headed down a different corridor down to his room.

The women, wasn't a pirate, and she was by no means an average employee with an abnormal employer. In fact although he wouldn't ever say it, or even remember it for that matter. She had actually chosen Henry Pelton. He was in possession of a very specific devil fruit that she had been interested in for quite some time, even when studying under Dr. Vegapunk.

Dr. Vegapunk, her thin neatly made up lips curled in a small smile when thinking about him. He was brilliant but shortsighted. All these great ideas, she had seen them through with him, but he just handed them over to the world government. He just gave up all this power, she refused to make the same mistake. His name would be etched in the history books by bored scholars, her's would be gilded on statues by loyal servants. She would make sure of it.


	13. Chapter 13: Rosaling Durisio

Her name was Rosalind Durisio, she was at one point assistant to Dr. Vegapunk the smartest man in the world, and the most accomplished scientist ever. She specialized in Zoan type devil fruits and the human psyche.

It was one of the falling out points between them. He never focused, his mind was brilliant but his attention span was short. He always kept thousands of studies up in the air at the same time. He was researching seastones, the power of devil fruits, the application of devil fruits to physical objects, the replication of devil fruits power, robotics, weaponry, scientific application of Haki, log pose's, eternal poses, cataloging everything from devil fruits to different birds and plants. So she would spend many late nights in her office working long past what was deemed healthy. She would pour over the same results a thousand times and nothing. Then he would come in having mistaken it for bathroom again, and in one second point out the correlation or answer. It frustrated her. With that mind she could do so much more then he had ever dreamed about. All he cared about was science, never the application of it. Never the human side. The application was all she ever dreamed about.

She particular enjoyed Zoan devil fruits the idea of these two competing forms, these two beast. Human and monster, it was what started her with Vegapunk in the beginning. She had been trying to meld the two, meld and amplify the power. Finally after years of research they were making headway into it. She had long since given up on the meld, the two beast's were incompatible by giving one more power you remove more and more of the other ones effect. Instead she began to focus on amplification, and so did he. Those were good times they were at least working for the same goal, and she was still smarter then almost everyone else in the world. The project as she had titled it was Zoan Awakening, a project for awakening the full potential of a zoan fruit at the expense of it's human host of course, but such is the cost of science. Just ask the freakish pirate she watched Vegapunk dissect and reassemble. As that project garnered more and more speed, she too began to branch off into new areas. She began to grow more interested in exactly what was being triggered in the body by the awakening. Then she stumbled headfirst into her next love, control. She had already master power but her beast's still needed control. She focused more and more on the brain, the control center and soon she mastered that too.

She was a master of odors and smells, hormonal complexes that triggered emotional responses. Be they the calm of a zen master, the peace of a quite spring day, or her favorite the fear found in a tiny animal. She had wanted to continue her research, but Dr. Vegapunk in one of his moods had allocated resources elsewhere. She was furious, so furious she began to realize she had been furious all along. Furious at a lot of what Vegapunk did, furious at herself for falling prey to the easy lab life, to go quietly into the night. So she stole from the lab one night with a couple devil fruits, her life's work, and necessary materials. It was along this journey, two things became apparent. One she had grown to reliant on the world government ability to acquire anything fast, she was having trouble finding all the necessary resources by herself she needed help. Also the second one was Henry Pelton and his majestic devil fruit. It was a zoan, but no common place house cat, or rodent; it was a rare one. He had acquired a mythical zoan, similar to Sengoku's Bhudda or Marco's Phoenix, and she could make it more powerful she could awake it find it's full potential then she could control it.

She had found the pen with which she would write her own future. Henry Pelton and the mythical Zoan Squid Squid fruit model Cthulhu. And now with the final components to the awakening formula, as found by Rolf, she could finally put her plan into action. Perhaps it didn't matter that Captain Pelton seemed to be gaining a small immunity to her powerful 24 hour drug vigilance.

Her lips curled into a small smile as she stepped up the stairs heading straight to Captain's quarters. With a meek push she peeked her head into the room looking around. Sure enough Henry Pelton sat at his chair in a small cloud of flowery smog. The small town of gingerbread houses lie discarded to his side most of the structures having been reduced to rubble. The decorative bowls containing sweets were upturned around him, spilling their contents all across the table/ Scooping up a handful his holds them at arms length above his head and lets them cascade down his empty gullet. She quietly enters and softly closes the door behind her.

His head swivels to look at her a broad smile grows across his face.

"Hey women" he bellows gesturing broadly for her to come over to him.

"Yes" she replies her body posture still subdued and small.

"Rosalind, right?" he laughs.

"Yes" She says.

"I don't know what happened but I had a thought" Henry Pelton continued his voice load and boisterous. "It was a couple day ago, I was decidedly full with food and went to stare outside."

"Fascinating" Rosalind muttered under her breath.

Henry to caught up in his own story didn't noticed. "And you know what I saw?"

"No captain."

"You ever sailed?"

"Only when I was young," she replied politely.

"It's great" he smiled "freedom like you'd never imagine out there."

"Freedom?, sir"

"Aye, freedom" he said now having got up out of his chair and began to walk towards the window. "On the open seas, you have true freedom. The freedom to use power anyway you want with out repercussions. Free to take, steal, trample. Alas it's been so long, my old mind had almost all but forgotten the spray of sea water mingling with the wretched musk of fear. I can't remember when or ever why I settled down here."

Rosalind gritted her teeth, his resistance was much greater then she had anticipated. He was remembering past memories and feelings, the exact feelings she had been trying to purge. This was problematic. She had to move quickly now, before these silly plans of his could materialize.

"I suppose, it did have his advantages" he grumbled scratching his knotted beard. Now he was completely out of the smog standing and staring straight out of the window. "food, comfort, servants, my own little kingdom" he smiles.

"yes Captain, think you're a king, with a domain. Now what could hold more freedom then that?" Rosalind stated, thinking she could turn this turn of phrase to her advantage.

He sighed as he stared out the window, until finally turning around.

"No, it's not the same, look at me I was a great pirate feared and reviled by the populous because of my freedom. I could do all they couldn't; I could do all they wished they could. Now what am I? Trapped in my own castle with this damnable flower shit. I have made up my mind gather the crew, we set sail tonight."

"Captain I must asked you to reconsider." Rosalind pressed for once dropping her facade, and speaking with a stiff commanding tone.

Henry quickly shot her a glance, then laughed. The laugh was loud and deep ringing with a rich irony. Then quickly he smacks her across the face with one massive hand, to fast for her to react to it. She flys backwards through the air landing on the ground with a heavy thump.

"Rosalind, you forget yourself place." he continued not even paying attention to the slap "I am the feared Captain Henry Pelton, and you ask me to reconsider?" He laughed some more "This is what these places do to you, Rosalind people forget why they follow you in the first place. So I'll reiterate gather the crew we set sail, and don't make me reconsider it again, or else I might find your position as my" he paused as if unsure as to what her position was" my... your position increasingly redundant." He said cracking one of his broad smiles.

Rosalind fought off the shudder that wanted to run down her spine when faced with the stare. She hadn't forgotten the Captain's reputation not one bit, which was why she had played it carefully until now. She always played to his sense of pride, played the weakling in his power fantasies; she just lost her cool for one second due to this unforeseen complication frustratingly close to the fruition of her plan. She slinked back her away from the captain towards the door bowing; her body posture once again submissive. "As the captain commands it I shall see it done, and perhaps I could organize a celebration for the trip?" she said meekly.

He turned to her and in a booming voice replied "A fantastic idea, make it so. Oh and Rosalind bring up Leider I want to speak to him."

"As the Captain commands, but I am afraid he is currently in dispose" she stated head down so as to hide her stressed features, hopefully he bought it. If he found out she was ordering his "loyal" crew around he would killer her instantly, the small trail of blood leading from her nose, and the numbing sensation of her cheek reminded her of that. As she turned to leave the room, in spite of all that she couldn't help but smirk, that is if he didn't kill her first for what she did to the non officers.

As she quickly descended she put her plan into action, she'd just have to get the concoction ready for dinner and serve it to him then. Let's see the marines try and bring her in after that. After she gave the cooks their orders, she had just reached the entrance to her lab where the rest of her ingredients were lying out in preparation for the moment she got her final herbs. She sat down and began to work, not stopping until the final product was done. The the foul smelling concoction lay before her bubbling and lurching as if the broth itself was alive radiating strength. She quickly brought it over to the kitchen and began to add it as a coating to all the sweets that had been cooked up for the Captain. It was when then she heard the yelling. Swearing she ran out into the hallway and saw the culprits. Currently two bandaged men and a failed experiment were battling the rest of Captain Pelton's once ferocious crew, now mindless guardians of her lab's.


	14. Chapter 14: Uninvited Guests

Fredrick and Samuel found themselves once again marching down through the forest towards the strange structure on the other end of the island in search of a log pose. They had left Kilford behind at the boat once they returned to it. He was so tired by the time he had finished healing them he simply collapsed. It also meant that Kilford wouldn't get anyone else killed, something he was still having trouble getting over it.

It was growing dark by the time they found themselves at what supposedly had been the door to the main structure. It had since been broken and shattered by a ferocious strength. Fredrick was reminded of the building back at the town and silently pulled his gun off his back and closed his hand's reassuringly around it.

The main hallway near them was quite, but the faint echos of industrious work could be heard further down the hall. In order to avoid recognition, at least for now until they knew if the real Henry Pelton was here. They quickly attempted to duck down on one of the closer doors, only to find it locked. Samuel quickly changed that creating a thin key with his power. The door opened silently and led to a small stair case which descended down into the darkness. With a shrug Fredrick looked back at Samuel and began the descent down into the darkness. After a short while the stairs ended in what should have been a large room, but due to excessive clutter felt strangely claustrophobic. A large stove stood in one of the corners still burning, evidently not having been properly put out after a recent use. Various plants and herbs lied strewn about on the ground. The plants all looked foreign defiantly not local, and not exactly appetizing. It seemed to Fredrick that occasionally some of the larger parts of plants especially the those parts with flowers seemed to wheeze and cough slightly as if slowly dying on the floor in front of them.

"Okay Samuel, there has got to be a log pose buried some where in all this junk. So I guess just start looking." Fredrick said as he begin to scrounge around looking out from underneath various papers and plans and heavy books or glass jars filled with good only knows what, making extra carefully to not tread on any of the plants lying on the ground. It wasn't long before he had found at least something of interest in the massive piles of junk that built up all around him. Carefully setting a large pile of scribblings, plans, and books off to the side he uncovered a strange sight. The table top, well actually while seeing the table top amidst all this junk was a strange occurrence the actual thing was resting on top of the table top. It appeared to be made of a stiff burlap sack material that had been cut and reshaped into a vaguely humanoid shape with all the proper arms and legs, very similar to a practice sparring body, sort of a body with no sharp angles; it was all soft curves. The sides of it were tied tightly together with thick heavy duty rope and unlike most practice sparring dummy this one had a large mouth across what was suppose to be it's head. The mouth a simple line that was cut halfway through the the dummy head, what it left was two black felt half circles that made up the upper and lower mouth respectively that could be viewed when the head was tilted back. It's arms ended in rudimentary three finger hands also strange for a test dummy. Of course all that was inconsequential when compared to what was adorning the dummy's neck.

It was a large heavy duty choker that wrapped tightly around the dummy's neck a large blue stone was inset into the middle of it. It seemed counter intuitive to place such a rare gem, Fredrick guess topez or sapphire on such an ugly utilitarian device like the collar. But upon close inspection Fredrick realized that the large gem was actually a rather large chunk of seastone. He also noticed that who ever had put the choker on had left the small key in the lock. He quickly unlocked the choker turned to Samuel to show him it.

"Looks like someone here had dealt with Devil Fruit user's before." Fredrick remarked somberly. "Maybe this actually is or at least was The Devil Octopus's last hideout?" He said looking incredulously around at the rather strange surroundings.

"If that is the case" Samuel remarked "then we best not spend more time here then necessary, and definitely not make a scene."

Just as he says that, a heavy boot stomps on the floor. A door opens in one of the many shadow filled corners of this room. A man fully enclosed in shadows emerges. He was big, strong and ugly. His muscles seemed almost excessive giving a hulking appearance of something not quite human. His neck muscles were strained, the skin pulled tight across his face and his eyes dead.

"Thereby dooming us to do just that," Fredrick smiled grimly out the corner of his mouth at Samuel. Both slowly began moving to face the new man. Then all three just stood still, each waiting for the other to make their next move. Time seemed to be frozen for that second as all three party's wondered how this was going to play out.

The fourth party was blissfully unaware as he stuck his head up from between the tables where he had been investigating the discarded foliage. And just like that the tensions was broken, and like a super-ball time bounced back into motion at what seemed like an accelerated rate. The hulking man lifted a hatchet clutched in a meaty fist and flung it. Fredrick saw the head come up and bounded over the table slamming his entire body into it as the hatchet flew harmlessly over head. Samuel caught the hatchet a large wooden board and flung it aside, as the hulking man pulled a second one out.

Fredrick began to attempt to pin the form he was currently wrestling with. However the the body seemed fluid lacking an internal rigidity that allowed for most pinning moves to be effective. Giving up he rolled the form over out of the shadows of the table to get a good look at it. It was the dummy from the table. Same burlap body as before except on top of it's head he wore a mopy patch of multicolored hair, brown, black and gray, and his rudimentary hands had gained a more form ending in small stiff points. It's blank face scrunched up on one side as if winking with eyes it didn't possess. Fredrick stared blankly at the spectacle, so intently that it was only after the hulking man had launched the table he was under straight off him that he had even noticed that the dummy seemed to just melt out of his grip and into the shadows.

Quickly Fredrick rolled to the side as the hulking man's hatch swung down chipping a small bit out of the rocky floor. Suddenly a the loud patter of many little feet filled Fredrick's ears as the ground below him seemed to move below him in waves of shadow which began to swarm up the hulking man eventually forming a vaguely humanoid shape and then Fredrick realized what they were. They were rats or many colors, each of their beady eyes staring at exactly the same thing, the hulking man. Immediately the rats melded together and suddenly formed the dummy right on the back of the hulking man. Quickly the dummy opened his mouth and ineffectively chomped down on the hulking man's neck, his cloth mouth simply forming around the man's bulging muscles leaving both party's slightly confused.

Once the initial shock was over the hulking man grabbed at this form now clingy to his back. Grabbing an arm he attempted to throw the dummy off his back only for the arm he was pulling to immediately melt into a small swarm of rats which immediately began biting, The hulking man now panicking began to bring his hatchet to bare on the back of the dummy, the hatchet cutting quickly through the soft burlap but seeming to do no actual damage as the dummy simply dissolved into more rat's covering the entire man with cuts and scratches as they brought him screaming to his knees.

Fredrick and Samuel simply stared at the spectacle as the dummy reformed from the pile of rats swarming the now downed hulking man's form. The dummy got to his feet and gave a thumbs up to Fredrick the top of his burlap sack crinkling inquisitively. Fredrick could do nothing but return the thumbs up with a weak shrug and get to his feet. Samuel looked at him. Fredrick just shrugged.

"Looks like you got a new friend," Samuel replied slyly glancing over at the dummy who was currently sitting on the big man smiling at Fredrick.

"Yeah, I guess it does?" Fredrick replied "unfortunately getting new friends seems to create more problems then they solve."

"So what's it's, his, her name?"

"How am I suppose to know." Fredrick replied pointing at the thing.

"Hey I'm just saying you guys look pretty familiar rolling on the floor over there." Samuel stated innocently.

"Shut up" Fredrick replied Samuel just smiling coyly at Fredrick raising an eyebrow. "Well what are we going to call him?" Fredrick persisted. Samuel just shrugged. Fredrick looked over at the dummy. "Does Sack work?" Fredrick said, the dummy smiled and nodded Fredrick wondered if he could understand any of this..

More footsteps echoes down the stairway. Fredrick swore "Well it will have to work, come on let's get out of here." He said, Samuel looked at him and nodded drawing his hands together and forming a massive wooden wall, the exact dimensions of stairway. Fredrick grabbed Sock's arm and stood behind Samuel, who began a bull rush. The guards, same blank eyed expression as the hulking man saw either turned and ran backwards up the stairs after realizing they couldn't fight against the moving wall of else got smacked back up the stairs.

With a heavy smack Samuel and the two or three guards stupid enough not turn around slammed straight through the door throwing the guards and the portable wall heavily against the opposite wall.


	15. Chapter 15: The Escape

Rosalind looked on the spectacle, as the large bandaged man, obviously devil fruit user was currently swatting her crew back in forth with a massive club or else tripping them up as roots sprang out from near his feet snaking around the ground. The smaller man fire rapidly from a rifle his shots piercing straight through the armed guards who closed in on him. As they got close the smaller man switched to simply clubbing them back with the rifle butt until one of the guards grabbed it and flung it across the hall and the rifle clattered to a stop far down the floor. They began to close around him until that thing, flung himself over the top of the smaller man. Slamming straight into the nearest man it began to swipe at him with the small sharped points at the end of it's arms and immediately the others turned hammering it hard in the side with feet and weapons, tossing the dummy heavily off the man. But try as they might it simply kept getting up and flinging itself back at the group with a never ending vigor.

Swearing Rosalind rushed back into the kitchen. "Not now, not now" she spat. Breathing heavily as she braced against the kitchen door planning her next move. Glancing to the side of the room she spot's the stove's ventilation system and smiles a cold smile. Grabbing the rest of the her concoction she rushes out of the room, narrowly dodging both the dummy body tumbling through the air and charging back quickly being replaced by two pirates. Her forces were losing, no biggie she had a back up plan. She ignored the groans of the men as she took off down the hallway back to her room.

Slamming heavily into the room she caused the door to fling open. Looking around she quickly set the small pot on an empty table in the corner of the room. Hurriedly she moves swiftly to the back of her small room and presses a small hidden button, revealing a small panel which she pried up with an almost frenzied glee. The panel opened to reveal a series of tubes and a large fire. The tubes lead directly into the heavily modified ventilation system of this building. Slowly and over time she had closed off areas sealed exits and altered the ventilation to tie back to these small tubes. Which emptied directly into the lower levels. Under the mess of tubes was a large bottle. Licking her lips she pulled the bottle up and began to pour the contents into the large bowl over the flames. Quickly she hurried over to the wall and removed the gas mask hanging on it, placing on her face. Then she waited constantly adding more and more of the bottle to the bowl as it evaporated being sucked up into the ventilation.

Then the screaming began. Not fear , frenzy or hate, but a much more subdued emotion, a much more controllable emotion, sadness that deep seated feeling of loneliness, separation, paranoia, and defeat. It is a fear yes, but a much more controlled one a fear that induces apathy rather then forcing action. A fear that causes you to curl into a ball rather then strike out or run. She walked out into the hallway, the concoction in hand, to the sound of years of work vindicated. "It worked" she thought "on a large scale no less, genius." Stepping over the bodies of servants and pirates curled into balls or pushing themselves into walls as if hoping to be swallowed up. They shirked away as she approached. Ignoring them she began to walk up the stairs, towards the Captain's quarters, bowl containing the brew needed to awaken the beast inside. She cracked a large smile at that, what a show it would be.

The gas hit, and at first it seemed just like a smell from an overactive kitchen. The fighting continued, Samuel, Fredrick, and the dummy fought own. Samuel using his massive frame and devil fruit power's, Fredrick using speed smarts and heavy backing from the dummy who continued to throw himself with reckless abandon using enthusiasm and an ignorance of pain.

The first that hit was the paranoia. Like the feeling of someone constantly behind you watching. Fredrick caught a blow to the chin when he found himself attempting to catch a quick glance at the wall behind him. Then the hallucination began, distance mutated and lights dimmed as the world seemed to stretch on and out then finally in on itself leaving the people in a feeling of both claustrophobia and insignificance. You were trapped in a small box lying in an infinitely large space. You try to look around by darkness frames and fills every view point. But not a calm darkness, a darkness filled with ripples and movement, a darkness alive. Running is pointless your mind tells you, the darkness it then beast territory all you can do is stay put and hope it doesn't notice you.

Well that was all Fredrick could do. Up until the point the darkness exploded, or that's what it felt like when the sun blasted through his foreboding cocoon light filled his eyes. Light then soon after the smell of dirt and the touch of uncomfortable sticks pricking his prone body. Samuel stood next to him already up and staring up at the top of the structure as it shook. The dummy stood at his feet staring down at him face in a mix between annoyance and concern as he was shaking him awake, in his hand he held an eternal pose. Fredrick began to sit up began to remembering the last moments before he blacked out. Drugs he figured. He looked at the dummy as it sat cross legged staring at him. He presented Fredrick with an eternal pose. Fredrick looked at him with a blank expression.

"Thanks, you" He mumbled. Sack frowned his forehead becoming ruffled. Fredrick gave him a quizzical stare "Thanks, Sack" he said again, pausing between the words. Sack smiled, but then his face changed back to the annoyed expression as he gestured to the castle.

The gas hit, and at first everyone went down. Everyone, but Sack. Sack glanced around and after noticing all his enemies had suddenly fallen on the floor shivering and curled up, it broke in a large smile, before turning to Fredrick for approval, only to see he was also fainted. Sack's brow furrowed as it rubbed its chin with a floppy paw. Then Sack saw her, from the lab. Sack could tell it was her from the posture. She was scooting along the path wearing the most hideous mask, with a long snout and large eyes. Sack quickly fell to the floor, she scared Sack, what with the nasty stones and all the watching and pricking. She brushed past him without a second glance and headed up the stairs. Sack went over to Fredrick and nudged him, shook him. Nothing, annoying. Then Sack got an idea. She'll know, she always new. Sack'll get her to fix it. Sock reached the door and swung it open, in the same movement Sack melted away into a swarm of rats and began dashing up the stairs.

Sack reformed pressed against the door at the top of the stairs. Two figures were on the other side.

"So now your serving me as well?" The lower gruff voice sounded laughing, Sack didn't know this one.

"Yes, well this is just the first course, Sir." she responded cooly.

"Good" He grumbled, their was a clinking of metal and a large messy sucking sound, followed by a large thud and a hacking sound.

"What is this?" The larger voice shouted through gasps and chokes. Sack opens the door to see a large man covered in stains, with a thick meaty hand around the woman's throat. His skin was red and seemed to be almost beating, his eyes were bulging and his beard rustled like long grass hiding a rabbit. The women kicked and clawed at the massive hands. She was no long wearing the mask it instead was lying at Sock's feet discarded. It looked like her throat would be crushed, but then suddenly the larger man's eyes simply fell backward and his body crumpled to the ground. The women grasped at her throat as she stumbled to the nearest wall. That had been to close, but this entire plan was cutting it to close, with the marines closing in and these pests downstairs. She had lost he crew and all the servants, but she had finally dealt with them. Just like she will deal with the marines, the pirates and then the world government. Then she saw that thing, that mistake.

"Augh" She screamed as she grabbed the nearest thing to her, one of the eternal post lining the wall and chucked it at him. She was fed up with this. She was so close, and yet so much went wrong. Sack represented a failure in her part, represented another of the mounting problems. Sack represented her fallibility, she hated that. Of course she also hated sports. She missed, the eternal post shattered against the wall a foot above and to the left of Sack's head, so she tried again. Sack just stared at the large man crumpled on the floor. The next eternal post connected straight with his face bouncing off harmlessly and falling into his hands. Then the room shuttered, as the man got up. It sent a shock through Sack, every animal instinct suddenly shot off telling Sack to get out of here. The large man shuttered again his entire body contorting as his arms and legs swelled up and massive tentacles burst through his beard, the hair atop his head suddenly began to disappear. She laughed, a piercing laugh as she looked on at the monster that was rising up.

Not thinking twice Sack ran out of the room. All part's of the body not currently used for sprinting down the stairs were frozen in fear. The clawed hand closed over the eternal pose. When Sack reached the bottom floor, the building had already begun to shake, small rocks, started falling down. Sack grabbed Fredrick and Samuel and quickly dragged them out of the building.

Sack gestured to the castle, Fredrick glanced up.

Then a rumble.

"Shit, that's not good" Fredrick said, and he received instant gratification as the roof of the building broke open revealing a strange creature. Atop it one could squint and see a small figure, it's back arched backwards head thrust defiantly against the sky laughing. But even if you could see the figure you wouldn't pay any attention to it, what it was one was just so more interesting. It's skin had the texture of a giant slug, or octopus. It was green and slimy but it's skin still seemed rough and armored. Where is mouth should have been was simply a mass of tentacles mixed in with the remnant of a scraggly black beard which was quickly falling off. The body was bent and misshapen. It's massive wings where powerful and stiff. The form was hunched and his arms were overly long ,dragging on the ground heavy with the massive claws each of it's fingers ended in. As it grew in size quickly the floors began to collapse and the create sprung from it's perch using heavy webbed feet to landed on the ground with an earth shattering shake. As it landed the figure atop it stumbled, slipping on the slick skin of it's mount and tumbled off, in mid fall it was swatted with a heavy crunch by the mindless twitch of the beast's thick tail. It's eyes were inky black wholes seemingly endless. It was scary, Fredrick and Samuel ran. Fredrick made sure to grab the dummy's hand but it seemed for once they were on the same page as it had already shot off.

They ran as the creature behind them began to tear the island apart tree flew through the air like blades of grass, the distant crumble of building's rumbled in the background. Then clashes, and screamed echoes through the island. The monsters grumbles and grunts gaining a new purpose, he was exerting himself. Someone was fighting the beast, someone suicidial. No time to find out who as the three sped on and arrived back to the two boats mooring points, to an anxious Kilford with a log pose clasped in his hand, a large and battered Rolf lying face up on the ocean's tide.

"He tried to come back force me get him off this island, he had enough. I said no he tried to force me with brute strength, so I hit him in the face with my cane and knocked the joint out of his mouth, and he just jumped in after it. Oh and I found this" Kilford explained rapidly holding up a purple tracking den den mushi tossing it to the beach he then finished off with the statement he seemed to want to say from the beginning. "Now what the hell is happening."

"Does it really matter?" Fredrick shot back.

"Guess not" Kilford responded as Samuel slammed against the ship pushing off from being beached.


	16. Chapter 16: Ends & LooseEnds

The boat drifted lazily towards an island on the horizon as the four bodies lounged around. Fredrick studied the pack of beaten and worn cigarettes he had found in the town. They were the same Rolf had been always seen using. Probably because they were the type Rolf was always using Fredrick reasoned. Getting bored he looked at the box quizzically then pulled out a joint lighting it up and take a draw. Hacking he dropped the box.

"He jumped in the water for this?" Fredrick hacked.

Kilford looked over his spectacles. "I think those weren't made for you."

"How do you figure?"

"Well they seemed to alter his zoan state devil fruit. I mean I had seen zoan fruit's before but never like his. Normally one retains human features when transforming, but for him he seemed to retain bestial features when not transformed, and lost all human traits when transformed to just the halfway state."

Fredrick looked away bored again then spotted the test dummy lying lazily stretched out across the front of the ship. Taking quick aim he pegged it right in the square of the forehead with the pack.

"Hear that? These were made for you Sack."

Sack sits up, face crumbled in annoyance, looks around and drops the box uninterested. Instead slinking over to sit by Fredrick and Kilford. Soon after the stench of burning rope emanates throughout the ship.

"Shit, is the rigging on fire" Fredrick said as he shot up, followed quickly by Kilford and Sack. The rigging seems fine. Sack raises a hand up scratching its head. Kilford notices and chuckles.

"Fredrick be more careful with that damn cigarette."

"Why?" He responds still looking about the rigging.

"You set Sack on fire."

At this point Sack looks at its hand and sees the small fire lit on its hand, evidently started from a cigarette burn. Touches the top of its head then Sack realizes it spread to their and begins to running down the length of the long boat mouth gaping open and arms swinging wildly over it's head.

"Sack calm down let's just get some water" Fredrick shouted and attempted to give chase. "No, damn, Sack not the" SPLASH, water tossed up on deck as Sack in a frenzy tossed himself over board to extinguish the flame. Fredrick swore shot a quick look at Kilford, who merely shrugged. Fredrick glanced skyward muttering and then jumped over board after him. He was able to grab Sack light body and pull him up on deck again.

"Damn it Sack." Fredrick dripping wet said, as the boat continued to drift lazily to the island.

Kilford offered him a towel from the cabin. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Huh?" Fredrick said graciously accepting the towel.

"Well new island, new choice, new start" he responded.

Fredrick squinted at the island.

"You think it work's like that, eh?" He replied.

"why not?"

"hmm." Fredrick said rubbing Sack's hair gently. Sack stretched out and smiled at that. "Hey, Samuel what are our plans?"

Samuel voice echoed from the cabin. "Plans?, wait why change your style now"

"Ha ha, your a riot."

"I always thought I was a root" The voice responded. Fredrick just responded with cool silence. Kilford looked back at Fredrick. "So?"

"I don't know, I had forgotten how much I liked it."

"Liked what?"

Fredrick nudged Kilford, "Saving someone's sorry ass"

Kilford meekly laughed preoccupied. Then he smiles and looks back at Fredrick, "Well? Make it a job, better then thievery."

Fredrick smiled, "You think?"

"Yeah."

"Could start offering safe passage, but"

"but?"

"Need a bigger ship."

"Well there is an island, they might have a boat."

"Would you be joining us?"

Now it was Kilford's turn to pause "I don't know"

"Better then running all the time."

"You think?"

"Absolutely, Weatherford will just send more, you know"

"I had been trying to ignore that fact." Kilford replied.

"Yeah I know." Fredrick replied.

"I suppose there are worse thing's to do."

"You think?" Fredrick replied smirking.

"well I'm sure you'll end up finding them."

"Damn straight" Fredrick replied at Sack's head fell lazily into his lap.

Meanwhile another small boat floated lazily around the same ocean, although for a different reason altogether. Rolf lay in the middle of the boat shuddering. The sun only made his head ache worse, and inside the stale air offered little comfort as well. His body still felt worn and tired, soar and broken. The food stores of the ship were all gone and he had no where to go. It was just then that he spied a ship on the horizon. It was fast and small, and it was only until to late that Rolf noticed it was flying marine colors, although they were subdued. Scrambling Rolf attempted to turn the boat around to no avail, and quickly the larger, faster ship was upon him. He attempted to turn and fight but before he could even get his bearings on the rocking sea, two men jumped off the marine ship onto his moving much to fast to be seen. The quickly subdued him in his weakened state and tied him up. Rolf wanted to scream and rip and tear the bonds apart but he was so tired and soar that all he could do was moan pitifully as his body was harshly tossed onto the marine ship's deck. A large man in a marine captain's coat placed kicked Rolf painfully over so he could look at his face. As the boot connected with Rolf's sunburned skin it lit him up in pain.

" 'tranquil' Rolf Weber last known associate of Henry Pelton and Rosalind Durisio. This is the guy we want" He shouted to his men. Then he leaned down close to Rolf face, smiled a crooked smile and said. "Ever heard of Impel Down, because have we got an employment opportunity for you."

Eustass Kid laughed as he stared back at the groaning man strung up from the mast with metal wire and nails. The man's face, once strong and determined, now only showed pain and more over defeat. Eustass called out to Killer who stood at the front of the ship.

"So Killer, what do you think a Vice Admiral will be like?" It was a rhetorical question meant more for the prisoner's sake then Killer's. Kid had been itching to try his skills against a vice admiral for some time and it seemed that this former marine Captain would be his ticket into that exclusive arena. He himself had had a bit of fame, but unfortunately like so many Kid found himself facing the battle was one-sided.

Just then the island the island came into view, the island the marine Captain had told them to go to and wait for his vice admiral to arrive. So Kid did, and as they got close Kid began to feel a tingle running up his spine. Something big was going down near him, something that promised to be fun. Just then a huge noised echoes across the ocean and a massive shape erupted from the structures dotting the island. Kid smiled and clenched his fist; A gurgle, immediately silenced by the next scream, rolled slowly out of the dying Captain's mouth as he was suffocated by the tightening metal coils. Kid had no need for him now, he had found something more fun.


End file.
